Self-esteem and its influence on the inclination toward esthetic dental treatments: a cross-sectional study

Facial attractiveness, influenced by dental esthetics, impacts self-perception and social interactions. The rise of social media has further fueled the demand for cosmetic dental treatments. This study aimed to examine the influence of self-esteem on the inclination of dentists, dental students, and laypeople toward esthetic dental treatments.

This cross-sectional study involved 410 participants, including dentists, dental students, and laypeople, selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire that captured sociodemographic characteristics, oral hygiene status, previous experience with esthetic treatments, inclinations toward esthetic dental treatments, and self-esteem levels using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The questionnaire, created on the Porsline© website, was distributed via social media platforms. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21, employing the Chi-square test and logistic regression, with a p-value of less than 0.05 considered statistically significant.

The RSES showed that 16.3% of participants had low self-esteem, while 83.7% had high self-esteem. Among participants with previous cosmetic procedures, 84.3% expressed interest in pursuing additional treatments compared to 47.7% of those without such experience (P < 0.01). Among dental professionals, 38.3% of high and 37.5% of low self-esteem individuals expressed interest in cosmetic treatments (P = 0.42), while among laypeople, 66.6% of high and 82.2% of low self-esteem individuals indicated interest (P = 0.04). Regardless of profession, 66.7% of individuals with low self-esteem and 55.4% of those with high self-esteem expressed interest in esthetic treatments (P = 0.08). RSES scores varied significantly across age groups, with participants aged > 45 years showing the highest scores (P = 0.03). Regression analysis indicated that laypeople were more likely to seek esthetic dental treatments than dentists or dental students (OR = 3.02, 95% CI = 1.88-4.83). Participants with a history of esthetic dental treatments were also more likely to pursue further procedures (OR = 5.39, 95% CI = 2.97-9.77).

Self-esteem significantly correlates with laypeople's inclination toward cosmetic dental treatments. Dentists and dental students tend to express less interest in such procedures, likely due to their understanding of potential long-term complications. Additionally, individuals with prior experience in esthetic dental treatments showed greater interest in pursuing further treatments.