Assessment of Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics in Adult Patients visiting AFID

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics by using the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ) and self-rated Aesthetic Component (AC) of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry, Rawalpindi. A total of 120 patients were asked to fill in a questionnaire that evaluated psychosocial impacts based on five variables namely ‘Dental Self-confidence’, ‘Psychological Impact’, ‘Social Impact’, ‘Aesthetic Concern’ and ‘Self-perceived treatment need’. The patients self-evaluated their dental aesthetics by using the IOTN Component. Results: The comparison between genders was found to be insignificant. All the above-mentioned variables of PIDAQ showed a positive correlation with the self-rated IOTN Aesthetic Component, with p < 0.05 except one variable i.e., ‘Aesthetic concern’. Conclusions: The results suggest a strong correlation between self-perceived dental aesthetics and its psychosocial impact on an individual. An increased want for orthodontic treatment may rise from the psychosocial impact.