Analysis of Orthodontic Treatment Requirements and Their Influence on Quality of Life and Self-Esteem Among Adults.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the the association of orthodontic treatment need on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and self-esteem in adult patients seeking orthodontic care. METHODS: A total of 110 adults were recruited for the study. Orthodontic treatment need was evaluated using the index of complexity, outcome and need (ICON). Patients with a score of 43 and above were classified as Group 1; those with a score below 43 were classified as Group 2. Oral health-related quality of life was evaluated using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), and self-esteem was assessed using the rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES). Statistical evaluation involved Spearman's rank correlation, Mann-Whitney U tests, and independent samples t-tests. RESULTS: The mean OHIP-14 score was higher in Group 1 (12.63±7.46) than in Group 2 (10.61±7.46). However, this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.176). Mean RSES scores did not differ significantly between the groups (p=0.741). A slight but meaningful positive correlation emerged between ICON and OHIP-14 scores, indicating that as orthodontic treatment need increased, OHRQoL tended to decrease. No significant correlation was observed between ICON and RSES. Additionally, gender was not significantly associated with either OHIP-14 or RSES scores. CONCLUSION: The analysis revealed that increased need for orthodontic treatment is associated with a slight worsening of OHRQoL but does not significantly affect self-esteem in adult subjects.