Evaluation and comparison of the effects of malocclusion on self esteem in the adolescents

Introduction: In the last decade, an increasing number of researches and studies focusing on the impact of oral deformities, malocclusion and illnesses on quality of life and self esteem have been published. Goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of malocclusion (protrusion) on the self esteem in adolescents. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate and compare the effects of malocclusion on self esteem in adolescents. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 60 adolescents, 30 males and 30 females (mean age 18 to 24 years). All the adolescents were evaluated in terms of their degree of protrusion. Two groups were made, normal group and proclination group. Normal group was divided into 15 males and 15 females. Proclination group was divided into 15 males and 15 females. Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale was used to determine self-esteem and to relate between normal and proclination group. Comparison of the normal and proclination group was done. Self esteem index (SI) was calculated. Results: T-test was used to analyze the results. Results indicated that there was significant difference between the proclination group and normal group with low SI in proclination group. There was insignificant difference between proclination males and normal males, with low SI in proclination males. There was significant difference between proclination females and normal females, with low SI in proclination females. Conclusion: Proclination causes low self-esteem in adolescent females. For males, there was no significant difference in self esteem between the proclination and the normal group.