A stream of self-esteem

Featured Products Promotional Features

  Posted by: Dental Design      2nd November 2024

Among children and adolescents, dental malocclusion has a prevalence between 39% and 93%.[i] Along with caries and periodontal disease, malocclusion is one of the most pressing oral health problems, influencing masticatory function and causing suboptimal digestion and even malnutrition.[ii] It also affects mental health, making malocclusion a barrier towards a better quality of life.

One of the notable impacts malocclusions can have on a young person is on their self-esteem; how they value and perceive their worth.[iii] Malocclusion can lead to anterior crowding and facial asymmetry, both of which can change the perception of overall facial aesthetics, a crucial aspect for young people to feel positive about.[iv] Similarly, orthodontic treatments to fix malocclusion may also influence how patients see themselves.

A time of change

Children and adolescents may develop malocclusions from hereditary factors, environmental factors, or both. For example, habits like thumb-sucking can lead to malocclusion, disrupting the placement of the tongue and preventing its transversal development.i

Adolescence is well known for being a time of growth and biological change, as each individual begins the journey to become an active contributor to society. Emotions start becoming more complex as ideas of image and self-esteem form during this journey, making it a period of developmental and psychological instability.iv Up to 50% of all mental health conditions start before the age of 14, demonstrating the vulnerability of adolescents.[v] Self-esteem is a crucial determinant for an adolescent’s mental health, with low self-esteem being connected with depression, anxiety, self-destructive behaviour, a struggle to socialise, substance abuse and an earlier initiation of sexual activity, all of which reduce their quality of life.[vi]

Conversely, adolescents with higher self-esteem perform better in school and sports and are therefore more likely to flourish as they transition into adulthood.vi Gender plays a key role too, with girls tending to report more emotional problems and have a lower self-esteem than boys.[vii] Orthodontic treatments fulfil an improvement in self-esteem, often motivated by an aesthetic desire as well as a functional one. It is unsurprising then that young females are the largest demographic who apply for orthodontic treatment as a way of feeling more positive about how they see themselves.[viii]

Fitting in

For adolescents and children, physical appearance and attractiveness play integral roles in communicating. Many interactions involve focusing on the other person’s eyes and mouth; it is common for teenagers to spend more time looking in the mirror or to be more conscious about the clothes they wear – they worry that the way they may negatively perceive themselves is the same as how others perceive them.

If malocclusions, be they overbites or a crowded anterior, change facial aesthetics, it may impact how the adolescent views their own attractiveness. This can inhibit dating or making new friends, with adolescents potentially feeling undesirable or shy in certain social situations. Self-esteem therefore influences the relationships we build, our trust in others and the way we work, among many more things.iv

Orthodontic solutions

Whilst orthodontic treatment can boost self-esteem by correcting the occlusion and achieving a desired aesthetic, the patient may not feel completely confident until long after the treatment.[ix] This could be because braces have several side effects that may impact self-confidence:, such as slight speech impediments and the overall aesthetic of the brace.[x] To help reduce these side effects and increase self-esteem, practitioners should encourage orthodontic patients to take meticulous care with oral hygiene during treatment, reducing the risk of other oral health complications such as caries and periodontitis.

For a superb solution, recommend the Ortho Kit from Curaprox to your patients. It contains a CS 5460 ultra-soft toothbrush and a CS 1006 single toothbrush so that patients can thoroughly clean their teeth and the gumline. For periods of irritation, the ortho wax can alleviate pain caused by the braces, providing relief and comfort during treatment. With interdental brushes also included, orthodontic patients can customise an oral hygiene routine that keeps their teeth, gingivae and braces plaque-free. The Ortho Kit also comes with a brochure to detail how best to use or apply each product, ensuring compliancy.

Malocclusions change how patients eat, interact and live, with the potential to limit their quality of life. For young people, self-esteem is vital for their successful transition into adulthood. Raising self-esteem through orthodontic treatment can enhance their future prospects.

 

For more information, please visit www.curaprox.co.uk and www.curaden.co.uk

 

 

[i] Cenzato, N., Nobili, A. and Maspero, C. (2021). Prevalence of Dental Malocclusions in Different Geographical Areas: Scoping Review. Dentistry Journal, 9(10), p.117. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/dj9100117.

[ii] Leck, R., Paul, N., Rolland, S. and Birnie, D. (2021). The consequences of living with a severe malocclusion: A review of the literature. Journal of Orthodontics, 49(2), pp.228–239. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/14653125211042891.

[iii] Baskaradoss, J.K., Geevarghese, A., Alsaadi, W., Alemam, H., Alghaihab, A., Almutairi, A.S. and Almthen, A. (2022). The impact of malocclusion on the oral health related quality of life of 11–14-year-old children. BMC Pediatrics, 22(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-022-03127-2.

[iv] Taibah, S. and Al-Hummayani, F. (2017). Effect of malocclusion on the self-esteem of adolescents. journal of orthodontic science, 6(4), p.123. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/jos.jos_16_17.

[v] Guidelines on mental health promotive and preventive interventions for adolescents. (n.d.). Available at: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/336864/9789240011854-eng.pdf.

[vi] McClure, A.C., Tanski, S.E., Kingsbury, J., Gerrard, M. and Sargent, J.D. (2010). Characteristics Associated With Low Self-Esteem Among US Adolescents. Academic Pediatrics, [online] 10(4), pp.238-244.e2. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2010.03.007.

[vii] Carlén, K., Suominen, S. and Augustine, L. (2023). The association between adolescents’ self-esteem and perceived mental well-being in Sweden in four years of follow-up. BMC Psychology, 11(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01450-6.

[viii] Lagorsse, A. and Gebeile-Chauty, S. (2018). [Does gender make a difference in orthodontics? A literature review]. L’ Orthodontie Francaise, [online] 89(2), pp.157–168. doi:https://doi.org/10.1051/orthodfr/2018011.

[ix] Imani, M.M., Jalali, A., Dinmohammadi, M. and Nouri, P. (2018). The Effect of Orthodontic Intervention on Mental Health and Body Image. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, 6(6), pp.1132–1137. doi:https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2018.243.

[x] Damasceno Melo, P.E., Bocato, J.R., de Castro Ferreira Conti, A.C., Siqueira de Souza, K.R., Freire Fernandes, T.M., de Almeida, M.R. and Pedron Oltramari, P.V. (2021). Effects of orthodontic treatment with aligners and fixed appliances on speech: The Angle Orthodontist, 91(6), pp.711–717. doi:https://doi.org/10.2319/110620-917.1.

‌

 

No Comments

No comments yet.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.