Parents’ perceptions of oral health conditions depicted in photographs of anterior permanent teeth

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ABSTRACT

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate parents' perceptions of dental fluorosis and other oral health
conditions depicted in photographs of anterior teeth.

Methods

The sample comprised 120 parents
(average age 39.3 years) whose children were undergoing dental treatment at the School of Dentistry of the Federal
University of Minas Gerais. Seven photographs were selected: P1, open bite; P2, dental fluorosis TF 1 associated with open
bite; P3, dental fluorosis TF 1; P4, midline deviation and crowding; P5, dental hypoplasia; P6, teeth without oral problems; P7,
dental fluorosis TF 3. All photographs were randomly shown to all the parents, who classified the conditions observed
based on a numeric scale: 0-19 (very unsatisfactory), 20-39 (unsatisfactory), 40-59 (neutral), 60-79 satisfactory and 80-100
(very satisfactory). The reasons for dissatisfaction and the possible treatment choice were examined.

Results

P6 (normal
teeth) was the most satisfactory photograph according to the parents (mean 61.2), and all photographs were statistically
significantly different from one another (Mann-Whitney test, p 0.05), except the following pairs: P1 (mean 52.9) and P7
(mean 50.2) (p 0.537); P2 (mean 32.6) and P3 (mean 39.0) (p 0.073); and P5 (mean 18.9) and P4 (mean 18.4) (p 0.923).
Alignment and crowding were considered the most prevalent problem in all cases (27.5 to 90.8 of parents) and
orthodontic treatment was the most frequently cited option for treating all conditions (34.2 to 89.2 of parents).

Conclusion

In general, parents were dissatisfied with the oral conditions depicted in all photographs. Midline deviation
associated to crowding (P4) and dental hypoplasia (P5) were considered the most unsatisfactory conditions. The most
frequently cited oral problems by the parents were alignment and crowding. Orthodontic treatment was considered the best
option by the majority of parents.

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