The Impact of Dental Aesthetics on the Psycho-social Behaviour and Self Confidence in University Students in Chennai

摘要

The study aims to evaluate the satisfaction and self-confidence of university students in chennai city over their perception on smile and dental aesthetics. Face is the index of the mind. A smiling face always creates a positive impact. There is an increased demand for dental smile or aesthetic makeover among the public. Increased concern has been expressed amongst the university student's pursuing higher education regarding dental aesthetics. However the magnitude of this impact needs to be explored further in detail. A cross sectional survey was conducted to evaluate the psychological and social behaviour, self-confidence and smile satisfaction among the university students in chennai city. A self-administered PIDAQ (psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics questionnaire) questionnaire was sent to 215 students across 5 different universities in chennai city. Out of the 215 questionnaires sent to the students a positive response was received from165 students. The pertinent data were extracted from the questionnaire, tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis. Out of the 165 respondents 88 were male and 77 were females. Age group was 21+_ 3.5 years respectively. 55.1% of the students were satisfied with their smile, 32.3% were partly satisfied and the remaining was unsatisfied. About 34.4% of students weren't satisfied with their teeth arrangement, 17.1% weren't satisfied with their lip colour and tooth colour. About 60.3% of the students do not hide their teeth when they smile. About 65% of the students liked their teeth when they saw it in the mirror or photographs.58.6% of the students have received comments or suggestions from others about their teeth. About 50.6% of the students were conscious about the way they smile around the opposite gender. Also 63.1% wished their teeth looked better. Only 19.2% of the student considered their teeth to be the factor affecting their looks. From this study it was concluded that the dental aesthetics plays a crucial role in influencing a person’s self-confidence and social behaviour among the study subjects. Increased awareness programs regarding the treatment and management strategies to improve dental aesthetics needs to be initiated to address the increasing aesthetic demands on the student population.