Perception of Dental Aesthetics among Two Different Age-Groups in an Adult Population

Ishani Saluja; Neeta Shetty; Ramya Shenoy; Shreya Hedge; Sreelakshmi Pradeep; Shanthana Reddy

doi:10.36437/ijdrd.2020.2.4.B

Ishani Saluja Postgraduate Student, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
Neeta Shetty Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
Ramya Shenoy Associate Professor, Department of Public health Dentistry, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
Shreya Hedge Associate Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
Sreelakshmi Pradeep Postgraduate Student, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
Shanthana Reddy Postgraduate Student, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36437/ijdrd.2020.2.4.B

Keywords: Awareness, Appearance, Colour, Shape, Questionnaire

Abstract

Background: Dental aesthetic awareness creates a desire for better facial appearance among individuals. A dentist can address their concerns by understanding their expectation. This cross-sectional study aims to compare and assess the self-perception regarding dental aesthetics between male and female patients belonging to different age groups and economic status.

Materials & Methods: A questionnaire consisting of 16 questions was distributed among 200 adult patients belonging to two age groups (18-34 and 35-50 years) visiting the dental clinics. The questionnaire focused on patients' perceptions regarding their dental aesthetics, its effect on the quality of life and treatment needs. Descriptive statistics were tabulated, and for assessing the statistical significance, the chi-square test was applied. Binary logistic regression was applied to relate the dependent variable (age) with the independent variables.

Results: Among the 200 participants, 58.0% were satisfied with their dental appearance, and 40.5% were happy with their teeth colour. Overall, 55.2% of middle age group participants were more contented with their teeth' appearance than the younger age group. But 64.0% of younger age participants were more satisfied with their teeth colour than those of the middle age group and expressed more satisfaction (p=0.0008) about their dental aesthetics.

Conclusion: Participants' satisfaction with dental aesthetics was influenced mainly by their perception regarding the tooth colour, appearance of their teeth, and shape of the tooth.