DT News - UK - UK adults believe that correction of their smile could improve confidence

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 29 July 2014

save

RUGBY – A UK survey commissioned by the British Dental Health Foundation and dental company Align Technology has found that over a quarter of people interviewed were dissatisfied with their smiles. In addition, the majority of the respondents felt that their confidence would increase were their smile to be corrected. However, one-third were not aware that it is never too late to have one’s teeth repositioned.

The survey established that 27 per cent of Britons surveyed were unhappy with their smiles and felt that their imperfect smile had had a negative impact on certain aspects of their life. The majority of the respondents (70 per cent) stated that they never smile in photographs owing to their unattractive smile, and 45 per cent reported that they have very low confidence. About 10 per cent reported that their crooked smile had had an effect on their relationships.

When asked what aspect of their life would improve were their smile to be corrected, 76 per cent of the respondents said that they think that their confidence would increase. Almost 20 per cent said that their relationships would improve and nearly 10 per cent believed that correction of their smile could improve their career and job prospects.

Despite these advantages, 33 per cent of the respondents were not aware that one can still have one’s smile corrected as an adult. The investigators also found that many people did not seek orthodontic treatment because they did not wish to wear fixed braces.

With regard to sex differences, men were more concerned that visible braces would affect their career and relationship prospects than women were. Female respondents avoided wearing fixed braces because they were concerned about their self-confidence and risk of embarrassment.

However, there are a number of alternatives to conventional orthodontic braces available today. For instance, manufacturer Align Technology offers Invisalign treatment, a clear alternative to metal braces. In contrast to fixed braces, the company’s removable aligners have no wires or brackets and are nearly invisible. According to the company, 2.5 million people worldwide have undergone treatment with such aligners, including a considerable number of celebrities, such as singer Justin Bieber, model Gisele Bündchen and actress Eva Longoria.

The survey involved 2,027 UK adults. It was conducted by communications agency Positive Communications as part of National Smile Month, the UK’s largest oral health campaign, which ran from 18 May to 18 June this year.

To post a reply please login or register

British adults feel self-conscious about their smile, reveals recent survey

LONDON, UK: The parameters for what is considered a healthy smile have seemingly become narrower over the years. In a recent survey, the Oral Health ...

UK patients trust their dentist more than their doctor

RUGBY – In order to gain better insights into the perception of dentistry in the UK, a communication agency has conducted an online poll among ...

Interview: “We believe that the UK market has high potential for our products”

As one of the world’s largest manufacturers of gutta-percha and paper points, META BIOMED from South Korea is already a household name among dental ...

Smile research could lead to redesigning of facial recognition technology

BRADFORD, UK: According to a recent study, it is not only the obvious physical features that help to distinguish men from women, but also some subtler ...

Nurses and midwives could improve the oral health of mothers and children

LONDON, UK: During pregnancy, women are at a higher risk for dental disease owing to hormonal changes. Moreover, it has been found that maternal oral health...

Removable partial dentures may improve mortality among partially edentulous adults

LEEDS, UK: In a recent study, researchers have examined whether the use of removable partial dentures has an impact on the long-term survival outcomes of ...

Report recommends that dentists cut their carbon footprint

LONDON, UK: The recent European summer heatwave has brought climate change, and methods of combating it, to the fore of many public discussions. In keeping ...

Simple oral health measures could improve athletes’ performance

LONDON, UK: British dental researchers have published a consensus statement that aims to raise awareness of oral health issues in sport. Through a review of...

Survey shows number of UK adults seeking orthodontic treatment remains high

LONDON, UK: Though orthodontic treatment was once thought to be something only for teenagers, its generally non-invasive nature has led to it becoming ...

Researchers develop material that could emulate dental enamel

LONDON, UK: Unlike many other tissues in the human body, dental enamel does not regenerate itself once it is damaged. In what could potentially be a ...

Education

On-demand
webinar