Many people have crooked teeth and wish they could be straighter and more attractive. However, not everyone decides to get orthodontics in order to achieve that more attractive smile. So what factors distinguish between the people who think about the procedure and those who actually do it?
Recently, researchers asked that very question to braces patients in Iran and identified several key factors that people relied on in making their decision. The most important? Hope. Those who decided they wanted to get orthodontics were those who had hope for a better future.
Hope for the Future Is Key
Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 18 families who had a member undergoing orthodontic treatment. They interviewed the person undergoing treatment, the family members who influenced their decision, as well as the dentists who consulted with them on the decision. After reviewing interviews multiple times, they developed codes for the themes that came up repeatedly between the different interviews, including those that drive people to get orthodontic treatment and those that can make them hesitate to go forward.
They found that the biggest factor driving people to get orthodontic treatment is hope for the future. People expressed that based on their hope for the future, they were prepared to face many challenges to get their orthodontic treatment.
Driving Forces for Orthodontics
In addition, researchers identified several other key motivators that drove people to get orthodontic treatment.
People often felt that their appearance was somehow defective because of their crooked teeth. Although they didn’t have any visible facial deformity, the presence of crooked teeth made them more likely to imagine that they had problems with their jaw or facial structure.
In response to this negative self-image, people often expressed a hope to improve their appearance. Negative self-image could also lead to conflict with friends and family members. People who felt they were unattractive also reported repeated conflicts with their friends and family members.
Families seemed to be divided into two categories about orthodontic treatment. Some families didn’t care about the crooked teeth. However, those that were more likely to be supportive looked at the treatment as being not only for beautification, but also for health and well-being.
Barriers to Orthodontic Treatment
On the other hand, there were some factors that could make it hard for people to get orthodontic treatment. For example, financial barriers came up repeatedly as the biggest obstacle to overcome.
However, people also had to overcome their uncertainty about the income, and their reluctance about the time treatment would take.
Embrace Hope
If you are considering orthodontic treatment, you can listen to the voices of uncertainty in your head or you can choose to embrace the hope that your treatment will give you a better life. And it’s true. Orthodontic treatment can improve many aspects of your life. It can lead to better romantic relationships, better professional options, and improved oral and overall health.
Orthodontic treatment can help you enjoy a better future, and represents a choice in favor of hope. We can also help you overcome some of the challenges with faster orthodontic treatment, financing options, and more.
If you are ready to act on the hope of orthodontic treatment in Orange County, please call (949) 551-5902 today for an appointment with a cosmetic dentist at Rice Dentistry in Irvine.
