Study on the Perception of Orthodontic Treatment According to Age: A Questionnaire Survey Patil Harshala S1,*, Alane Uddhav Y2, Handa Amit S3 1Third year MDS Student, Aditya Dental College, Department of Orthodontics, Beed, Maharashtra, India 2Senior Lecturer, Aditya Dental College, Department of Orthodontics, Beed, Maharashtra, India 3Reader, Aditya Dental College, Department of Orthodontics, Beed, Maharashtra, India *Corresponding Author: Dr. Harshala Shrishail Patil, MDS-III, Aditya Dental College, Beed, Maharashtra, India-431 122
Online published on 6 April, 2019. Abstract Objective This questionnaire study aimed to estimate the overall frequencies of positive perception towards orthodontic treatment among adults categorized according to age and sex to identify barriers or negative perceptions preventing them from receiving orthodontic treatment. Method The participants included 256 adults aged over 20 years (105 men and 113 women) who visited our hospital. The participants’ opinions regarding their consideration of receiving orthodontic treatment were recorded using a specially designed questionnaire. Results The overall rate of positive perception towards orthodontic treatment was 56.4%. Compared to adults in their 20s (67.9%), those in their 40s and 50s had a lower percentage of interest in orthodontic treatment (46.5% and 41%, respectively; p < 0.05). Overall, women (67.5%) had a higher rate of interest than did men (55.2%; p < 0.05). The order of priority of chief complaints differed according to age: protrusion for those in the 20s and 30s, and spacing for those in the 40s to 60s. Overall, the main reason for not seeking treatment was the treatment fee. Respondents aged over 40 considered themselves “too old” for orthodontic treatment. Conclusions The middle-aged had a relatively high percentage of interest (above 56.4%) in orthodontic treatment. These results highlight the need for educating the middle-aged about the limitations and possibilities of orthodontic treatment to increase its acceptance. Top Keywords Perception, Orthodontic treatment, Age, Questionnaire. Top |