Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 21, 2026

Author Spotlight: 3D Movement Assessment of Maxillary Posterior Teeth in Clear Aligner Treatment
Published on: February 23, 2024
OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE EVALUATION OF ADOLESCENT'S ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT NEEDS AND THEIR IMPACT ON SELF-ESTEEM
Anshika Sharma1, Anmol Mathur1, Manu Batra1
1Departamento de Ortodontia em Saúde Pública, Surendera Dental College and Research Institute, Sri Ganganagar, Rajastão, Índia.
Objective:
To investigate the presence of association between objective and subjective evaluation of orthodontic treatment needs in adolescents and their impact on their self-esteem.
Methods:
Cross-sectional study with adolescents aged 10-17 years old in Sri Ganganagar city, Rajasthan, India. The objective index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN) dental health component (DHC) and the subjective aesthetic component (AC) were used to determine the normative and the self-perception need for orthodontic treatment, respectively. The selected students were further examined for dental trauma, tooth loss, and dental caries. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was applied for self-esteem level determination. Linear regression analysis was executed to test the individual association of different independent clinical variables with self-esteem scores.
Results:
Among 1,140 studied adolescents, the prevalence of dental normative orthodontic treatment need was in 56.9% of individuals, whereas 53.3% of individuals considered themselves as needy for the treatment. Multivariate analyses revealed that out of all dental disorders, DHC followed by AC of IOTN had maximum impact on the self-esteem of the adolescence.
Conclusions:
Dissatisfaction with dental appearance is a strong predictor for low self-esteem in adolescence.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Social Foundations of Self III: Self-Evaluation
Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience
Self-Esteem
Need for Self-Esteem

