Many patients who are receiving orthodontic treatments to correct their teeth may not realise there are other, important aspects of their orthodontic care that benefit them like the appearance, shape, and position of the teeth. Treatments of disorders are among the significant factors that can affect mental health and wellbeing in individuals.

People who have a higher level of personal satisfaction are also endowed with a higher degree of self-esteem. Besides, the total appearance of the teeth and the face can impact an individual’s mental image of one’s body, and such an image can contribute to personal satisfaction.

Through the years, early orthodontic intervention has been established to affect our mental health and body image. If you have gone through the same, you can relate to it, and there are multiple scientific pieces of evidence to back this up.

What Is An Orthodontic Intervention?

We as a human got two sets of teeth in our lifetime. Though dentists prefer not to intervene with a child’s teeth before a certain age, children often need medical help. This medical or dental intervention is called an Orthodontic Intervention.

Orthodontic Intervention is the identification of and intervention in orthodontic issues in their earliest stages.

Younger children’s mouths are continuing to grow and change. This practice allows orthodontists to take advantage of that in order to avoid procedures like the removal of permanent teeth to make room in the mouth. Orthodontic interventions such as metal braces are quite common nowadays. Does this make them awkward? Let’s find out in this post.

Why Is Mental Health Important?

Do you know, according to the World Health Organisation, mental health is one of the major problems that exists in the world right now. We have been taking care of our physical health for years. However, we raise some concerns about mental health. We haven’t taken enough steps forward.

When a child goes through early Orthodontic Intervention, they probably feel something. Often this feeling is not very positive. They can be extra conscious about their looks and shapes. If we want to make some positive moves in curing mental health problems, we need to address the problem first. Only then it is possible to cure this giant disease.

Study On The Effect Of The Orthodontic Intervention On Mental Health And Body Image

Scientists and doctors have conducted multiple studies on the effect of orthodontic intervention on our mental health. These studies include several samples undergoing orthodontic intervention at an early age.

Their experience before and after can be gauged using Goldberg’s General Health Questionnaire, commonly known as GHQ, and Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire, popularly known as MBSRQ. The research was gathered before, during, and after orthodontic treatment. The purpose of the study was to determine if there was a relationship between orthodontic treatment, body image, and mental health.

The results of the study proved that orthodontic care improves mental health and body image significantly. Having braces does affect your mental health in a good way. It has long been established that having a straight smile can increase self-esteem and boost confidence levels.

Although some teens may suffer through schoolyard teasing while wearing their braces, the result will be an improvement in overall body image. The minimum age of study participants was 14, so younger children may not have an immediate positive response. Parents can prepare for this by discussing the positive aspects of braces with children before treatment.

Psychological And Social Effects

Adults can react to this problem differently from a child. Usually, when an adult goes through dental interventions, although they listen to some casual teasing, most people try to avoid them as much as possible. This is the right approach to dealing with these problems.

For children, the effects can be different. A child’s mind is tender; they are more likely to get affected by the slightest change. Modern dental treatments have gone several changes in recent years. Dentists are more concerned about children’s comfort and mental health.

Opportunities to fit in can be limited for people who feel their smiles are “unattractive”. Since orthodontic treatment can fix these problems, a person with the best possible smile will be able to reveal their emotions and personality, which can result in being more socially accepted and active in the world.

Final Thought

The results of the present study showed that orthodontic treatment can significantly increase the mental health status of the clients and also improve multidimensional attitudes towards body image. Professional orthodontic treatment has several important physical and psychological benefits for patients.

Improved oral health, protecting teeth, correcting jaw problems, greater self-confidence, mental health, and improved social acceptance are just some of the important benefits of getting orthodontic treatment. Also if you are concerned about the appearance of braces, Invisalign treatment with clear, Invisible trays is a great alternative to getting braces, and be sure to seek advice from your dentist to know what’s the best for you.

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Note: All content and media on the Bacchus Marsh Dental House website and social media channels are created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

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