title: An evaluation of self-esteem and quality of life in orthodontic patients: effects of crowding and protrusion.
abstract: To evaluate the effect of dental crowding and lip protrusion on self-esteem and quality of life (QOL) in female orthodontic patients with Class I malocclusion.
  
  
  
  The study sample consisted of 201 patients (mean age 22.6 ± 3.0 years) who sought orthodontic treatment. All the patients were evaluated before treatment in terms of their degree of dental crowding and lip protrusion. Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale and the Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ) were used to determine self-esteem and QOL and to evaluate whether these values were related to malocclusion severity.
  
  
  
  The results indicated that severe crowding and severe protrusion can result in lower self-esteem and poorer QOL (P < .05) than mild crowding and protrusion in Class I malocclusion. In the oral function component of the OQLQ, the severity of protrusion did not have significant effect.
  
  
  
  In Class I malocclusion, patients with mild crowding or protrusion had significantly better self-esteem and QOL scores than severe crowding or protrusion patients.
authors.affiliation: a   Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Dental Research Institute and School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, and Private Practice, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004955:Esthetics, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Crowding; Protrusion; Quality of life; Self-esteem