Prevailing Status and Treatment Seeking Awareness Among Patients Attending in The Orthodontics Department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University

Abstract

Background: Malocclusion is problem since antiquity. But people’s perception about the problem varies with their geographical location and cultural background. The problem seems to be more acute in developing countries like Bangladesh.

Objectives: The present study was undertaken to assess the awareness about aesthetic problem of malocclusion and treatment seeking behavior among the patients attending in orthodontic department of BSMMU.

Methods: The present cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Orthodontic, Faculty of Dentistry, BSMMU, over a period 24 months from January 2008 to December 2009. A total of 110 participants who were suffering from malocclusion and came for dental treatment were the study population.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 21 years and the youngest and the oldest patients were 8 and 32 years old respectively with female to male ratio being roughly 3:2. Graduate or postgraduate level educated patients were predominant (53.6%). Over 70% of the respondents viewed malocclusion as an aesthetic problem, 50% as functional problem, 55.5% social problem and 69.1% oral problem. Two-third (67%) told that malocclusion was a treatable condition. Approximately 43% of the patients identified trauma as a cause of malocclusion, 40% gingivitis or periodontitis and 35.5% dental caries. About one-third (32.7%) of the respondents was of the opinion that certain habits should be avoided to prevent malocclusion, 15.5% told timely treatment of malocclusion, 30% told prevention of early loss of teeth due to caries, 12.7% were in favour of the use of a space maintainer in places of premature loss of a deciduous tooth. Over 90% of the respondents held the view that symptoms of malocclusion, its prevention and different treatment options should get the priority in educating the society about malocclusion. However, 80% of the respondents told that causative factors should discussed. Regarding ways of behaviour change communication (BCC), TV got the first priority (94%) followed by newspaper (92%), teacher (88%), school health programme (84.5%), friends (76%), health educators (43.6%) and poster got the least priority (30.9%).

Conclusion: The study concludes that a substantial proportion of the patients of malocclusion are not aware of the causes and consequence of malocclusion. However, the patients are aware that malocclusion is an aesthetic problem and can be corrected.

Key words: Malocclusion; aesthetic problem; treatment seeking behavior.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bsmmuj.v4i2.8637

BSMMU J 2011; 4(2):94-98