Comparison of knowledge, self-perception about malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need amongst undergraduate dental students

Figures & data

Table 1. Percentage of students from each undergraduate year responding with ‘yes’ (correct response) to the questions pertaining to knowledge on malocclusion.

	1st year	2nd year	3rd year	4th year	p-value
Knowledge about malocclusion	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)
Do you think malocclusion can cause dental caries?	49.1	69.8	75.5	86.8	0.000
Do you think malocclusion can cause plaque accumulation?	62.3	71.7	90.6	98.1	0.000
Do you think malocclusion can cause gingivitis?	47.2	43.4	71.7	85.8	0.000

p < 0.05 was statistically significant.

Figure 1. Percentage of gender distribution of research participants.

Figure 2. Responses of students (%) from each year as, ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘maybe’ to importance of aligned teeth for esthetics.

Table 2. Percentage of students from each year who responded with ‘yes’ to the questions on awareness around malocclusion.

	1st year	2nd year	3rd year	4th year	p-value
Awareness about malocclusion	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)
Do you think teeth must be well aligned?	90.6	90.6	91.5	87.7	0.431
Do you think aligned teeth are important for esthetics?	85.8	96.2	91.5	86.8	0.042
Do you feel that you need orthodontic treatment?	37.7	25.5	20.8	43.4	0.048
In your opinion, does malocclusion have an impact on a person’s self-esteem and confidence?	65.1	77.4	80.2	86.8	0.031
In your opinion, does malocclusion have a role in a person’s acceptance amongst his/her peers or the society as a whole?	22.6	36.8	40.6	51.9	0.000
Does malocclusion have an impact on a person’s mental health?	24.5	46.2	37.7	52.8	0.000

p < 0.05 was statistically significant.

Table 3. Percentage of students from each year who responded with ‘yes’ to the questions asked related to aetiology of malocclusion.

Questions related to the cause of malocclusion				1st year	2nd year	3rd year	4th year	p-value
				(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)
Do you think thumb sucking can be a cause of malocclusion?				61.3	68.9	77.4	92.5	0.000
Do you think bottle feeding beyond the age of mixed dentition can be a cause of malocclusion?				50.0	72.6	71.7	84.9	0.000
Do you think pacifier sucking can be a cause of malocclusion?				44.3	60.4	62.3	86.8	0.000
Does hereditary play role in the causation of malocclusion?				56.6	57.5	46.2	70.8	0.067
Do you think caries/cavities in the early stages of dentition can contribute towards malocclusion?				36.8	36.8	41.5	56.6	0.000
Can early loss of primary teeth cause malocclusion?				44.3	49.1	45.3	81.1	0.000

p < 0.05 was statistically significant.

Figure 5. Responses of students (%) from each year as, ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘maybe’ to malocclusion’s impact on mental health.

Figure 3. Responses of students (%) from each year as, ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘maybe’ to their self-perceived need for orthodontic treatment.

Figure 4. Responses of students (%) from each year as, ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘maybe’ to malocclusion’s impact on self-esteem.