The associations of dental aesthetics, oral health-related quality of life and satisfaction with aesthetics in an adult population

Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the gender-specific associations between dental aesthetics, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), and satisfaction with dental aesthetics in an adult population. Materials and methods The study population consisted of 1780 individuals (822 males and 958 females) from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966). Dental aesthetics were evaluated from digital 3D dental models using the Aesthetic Component (AC) of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). Layperson and orthodontist panels evaluated the dental aesthetics of a smaller sample (n = 100). OHRQoL was measured using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire. Satisfaction with dental aesthetics was asked with one separate question. Gender-specific analyses consisted of Mann-Whitney U-tests and Spearman's correlation coefficients. Results More than half of the population had an aesthetically acceptable occlusion, and most of the individuals were satisfied with the aesthetics. The most severe aesthetic impairments were associated with the psychological dimensions of OHIP-14. There were significant but weak associations of AC and satisfaction with aesthetics, and satisfaction with aesthetics and OHRQoL. Significant gender differences were found, men having higher mean AC scores but women reporting lower OHRQoL. Conclusion At the population level, most of the individuals were satisfied with their aesthetics, despite different dental aesthetic conditions. The most severe aesthetic impairments were associated with decreased psychological well-being, women reporting more impacts compared to men.