Aim: To assess the emotional effects of malocclusion among Nigerian orthodontic patients.
Design: A questionnaire survey.
Subjects and methods: A questionnaire was completed by 221 Nigerian orthodontic patients undergoing routine orthodontic care at the Orthodontic Unit, Department of Preventive Dentistry, University College Hospital, Ibadan and the Department of Child Dental Health, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, both in South-West Nigeria. The participants were comprised of 97 (43%) males and 124 (56.1%) females with age range of 6-40 years (mean age, 13.82 +/- 8.01 SD). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test.
Results: About 44% of all participants had not yet accepted their malocclusions, while 56.6% of all subjects reported for orthodontic care due to aesthetic reasons. Twenty-seven percent of the subjects were depressed the first time they notice their malocclusions. Over 40% of the participants reported feeling less confident as a result of their malocclusions and about 55% of them felt their malocclusions negatively affected their general facial appearances. Normal activities restricted in some of the subjects due to malocclusion included laughing in public (48.9%), meeting people in public (32%), and forming close relationships (20.4%). The majority (64.7%) of the subjects discussed their malocclusions with their parents, followed by dentists (35.3%).
Conclusion: The psychosocial effects of malocclusion in Nigerian orthodontic patients were considerable with no significant gender differences. Considering such factors, professional counseling of Nigerian orthodontic patients is encouraged.