ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The decision to pursue orthodontic treatment is influenced by a variety of cosmetic, functional, and social reasons. This study compared the factors that influence adults' decisions before orthodontic treatment versus parents' decisions prior to their children's orthodontic treatment in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was distributed to the patients of orthodontic clinics of King Abdulaziz University in addition to a private orthodontic clinic in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. The survey consisted of two versions of a questionnaire: one for adults and one for children's parents. The survey inquired about the participants' demographics, factors that led to the necessity of treatment, and considerations before opting for orthodontic treatment. The factors influencing the decision-making process of adults were compared to that of parents using the Chi-square test. RESULTS: A total of 417 subjects participated, 331 adults and 86 parents. The majority of the respondents in both groups were females. When compared to children, adults were more aware of the necessity for orthodontic treatment (78.5% of adults vs. 41.9% of children). The primary motivation for adults and parents to begin orthodontic treatment was to improve their esthetic appearance (58.6% and 87.2%), whereas functional concerns were less frequently reported (12.1% and 15.1%). Adults relied on less trustworthy sources of information about orthodontic treatment options, whereas parents relied on more dependable sources. CONCLUSIONS: The main reason for opting for orthodontic treatment in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia was esthetic for both adults and children.
ABSTRACT
AIM: The lateral cephalometric radiograph is a standard component of clinical records taken for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. The present study was conducted to assess the utility of cephalometric radiography and analysis in modern orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A research survey was conducted at Jacksonville University School of Orthodontics. Thirty-one residents and faculty were the participants. The survey sample was collected from the university patients' pool. A survey was given to participants at two time points. At the first time point (T1), the participants were given full records without lateral cephalogram. At the second time point (T2), they were given full records with lateral cephalogram. Two measures were analyzed: (1) a change in orthodontic treatment decision and (2) a change in the orthodontic treatment plan. A traditional McNemar's test was used on paired binary data. We used the conditional logistic regression model with robust variance at a participant level to adjust for a participant-level clustering effect to test the difference in treatment decision before and after. A statistical significance was determined at p = 0.05. RESULTS: It was found that 93.6% of the treatment decisions and 70% of the extraction decisions were consistent after the introduction of lateral cephalograms. There was no statistically significant association observed between two outcome measures and the use of cephalograms (p = 0.80). CONCLUSION: Sufficient evidence does not exist to warrant lateral cephalometric radiographs be taken as a part of standard diagnostic records on every individual seeking orthodontic treatment. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Evidenced-based selection criteria for prescribing lateral cephalometric radiographs should be developed to reduce the amount of radiation exposure to the general public.
