In Indonesia, although the prevalence of malocclusion is quite high, there is still a low rate of dental care in the community, which is likely influenced by demographic and socio-economic factors. The community relies on the ability to pay rather than the need for care. The need for orthodontic care is subjectively influenced by factors such as age, gender, level of knowledge related to dental aesthetics, level of socialization, culture, and psychological conditions.
Malocclusion is a factor that plays a role in the perception of intelligence and attractiveness of a person by the social environment. Children or adolescents with neat front teeth get the first impression of happy, honest, and more intelligent children than children with crowded or protruding teeth. Malocclusion conditions in adolescents have psychosocial impacts that affect their quality of life along with the severity of malocclusion. A study by Olsen et al (2011) which assessed differences in perceptions of malocclusion found that malocclusion significantly affects perceptions of attractiveness, intelligence, personality, and behavior.
Everyone certainly hopes to have teeth that are neatly arranged and harmonious in their arch with good function, which is called a normal occlusion condition. On the other hand, if there is an occlusion deviation, known as malocclusion, which has a negative impact on a person’s growth and facial appearance and decreased self-confidence. Individuals with malocclusion often experience problems related to chewing function, swallowing function, speech function, to jaw joint disorders, and are prone to cavities, periodontal disease, and trauma.
Malocclusion conditions can affect an individual’s social life, thus it has often become a reason for someone to get orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic treatment is a dental procedure related to efforts to improve the arrangement of teeth and jaws.
The analysis of the results of this study was presented by a Professor of the Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Indonesia (FKGUI), Prof. Dr. drg. Krisnawati, Sp.Ort (K) during her inaugural speech as Professor of Universitas Indonesia which took place at the Makara Art Center (MAC) UI, on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, which was led directly by the Rector of UI, Prof. Dr. Ir. Heri Hermansyah, S.T., M.Eng., IPU.
In her speech, Prof. Krisnawati mentioned that the results of a study conducted at RSKGM – FKGUI using the Cross-Cultural Adaptation Questionnaire ACTA questionnaire that had been processed through Principal Component Analysis (PCA) obtained 5 domains and 34 valid and reliable questions. The Patient Satisfaction Measurement Tool was applied to 137 respondents who met the inclusion criteria consisting of 113 women and 24 men, aged 15 years – 43 years. The results found that 87.59% of respondents were satisfied with the orthodontic treatment they underwent at the RSKGM FKG UI Orthodontic Clinic. Respondents aged <19 years gave a higher score than the adult age group.
Teenage patients will recognize themselves based on what they see, and this is known as self-image.
Self-image is a factor that can develop self-confidence or self-esteem. Adult patients’ knowledge, insight, and social life are more developed than teenage patients. Therefore, adult patients are not easily satisfied and have higher expectations for treatment results than younger patients because it plays a role in supporting career success. Respondents with an education higher than undergraduate and master’s gave higher treatment satisfaction scores, especially for the domain of doctor-patient communication. This is in line with a study by Sirin which found that the higher a person’s education, the stronger the motivation to improve their appearance, including through orthodontic tooth alignment.
The Head of the Orthodontic Sp-1 Study Program, FKG UI also emphasized that most patients seeking orthodontic treatment are women and they pay more attention to their appearance so that their demands for satisfaction and success are high. A study by Feldmann found no significant correlation between gender and treatment results. Although men and women consult for facial tooth abnormalities, their expectations are different. Men’s motivation tends to improve their identity in social interactions while women tend to be more about appearance. In response to changes in the mindset and perception of Indonesian society recently, it is necessary to involve psychosocial factors in handling malocclusion cases for orthodontic patients. Transdisciplinary research needs to be developed by involving experts from various related sciences.
The ultimate goal of dental health services is to provide patient satisfaction with the dental care received. Dentofacial problems will impact a person’s satisfaction because they involve aesthetics, appearance, and function. A person can feel dissatisfied with their appearance because they are dissatisfied with the condition of their teeth. Research on patient satisfaction with dental health services has been around since the 1970s, measuring five aspects, namely: 1. Competence; 2. Interpersonal factors; 3. Comfort; 4. Cost; and 5. Facilities. Research on patient satisfaction after orthodontic treatment has been conducted in foreign countries including the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Brazil, and others.
Patient satisfaction with orthodontic treatment ranges from 34% – 75%. Most patients seeking orthodontic treatment are women and they pay more attention to their appearance so their demands for satisfaction and success are high. A study by Feldmann found no significant correlation between gender and treatment outcomes. Although men and women consult for facial tooth abnormalities, their expectations are different.
