Satisfaction with Dental Appearance and Attitude toward improving Dental Esthetics among Patients attending a Dental Teaching Center.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors influencing the satisfaction of dental appearance and attitude toward treatments to improve dental esthetics among patients attending a dental teaching center.

METHODS: A questionnaire was used to collect data of four background variables among 450 patients attended a dental teaching center in the city of Irbid in Jordan. The questionnaire enclosed self-reported questions about the appearance of anterior teeth, received esthetic treatment and desired treatment for improving esthetics. Descriptive, multiple logistic regression and Chi-square tests were used for data analysis (p ≤ 0.05).

RESULTS: The 450 participants consisted of (66.2%) male and (33.8%) female. Of these, 69.3% were satisfied with their dental appearance and 58.0% with the color of their teeth. Esthetic restorations were the most received treatment (39.8%) and whitening of teeth was the most desired treatment (55.3%). The patients' satisfaction with dental appearance was influenced by teeth color, crowding and receiving whitening (p < 0.05. r = 0.561, r(2) = 0.315). The most desired esthetic treatments influenced by the satisfaction with dental appearance were esthetic restorations and orthodontics (p < 0.05. r = 0.223, r(2) = 0.05). Significantly more female reported having esthetic restorations and orthodontics (p = 0.008, 0.000) and desired to have orthodontic, crowns or veneers and esthetic restorations (p = 0.000, 0.015, 0.028).

CONCLUSION: Satisfaction with dental appearance was affected by teeth color, feeling teeth are crowded, desire for esthetic restorations and orthodontic treatment. A high percentage of patients were not satisfied with the color of their teeth.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Recognizing the factors that affect patients' satisfaction with their present dental appearance and attitude toward treatments to improve dental esthetic can guide clinicians to strategies to improve esthetics.