Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the psychological state and concerns of guardians of patients with cleft lips/palates or alveoli while undergoing orthodontic treatment. The participants were 86 guardians of minor patients with cleft lips/palates or alveoli who were being treated in the Department of Orthodontics at Kagoshima University Medical and Dental Hospital and who filled out questionnaires provided by dental hygienists. The questionnaires were used to statistically evaluate the visual analogue scale (VAS) variations among five groups divided by patients' developmental stage (preschoolers, elementary school students aged 7-9, elementary school students aged 10-12, junior high school students, and high school students or older). The results of the questionnaires indicated that, when they realized their children required orthodontic treatment, most guardians displayed the psychological states of “sadness, anger, and anxiety,” and the majority felt “anxiety” about “requiring orthodontic treatment over a long period.” Additionally, the guardians were highly concerned about items related to aesthetics such as “facial appearance.” They were also highly concerned about “anxieties related to social life.” On the other hand, VAS scores for “period of orthodontic treatment” and “clinical time of orthodontic treatment” in the group of high school students or older were significantly higher than in preschoolers or elementary school students, suggesting that those items constituted a psychological burden. VAS scores for “problems caused by orthodontic appliances” were significantly higher in the group of elementary school students aged 10-12 than in the group of elementary school students aged 7-9. However, orthodontic appliances used on elementary school students aged 7-9 and 10-12 were nearly the same. These results suggested that guardians whose children underwent long-term orthodontic treatment were more likely to be burdened by these issues. In summary, the guardians of patients with cleft lips/palates and alveoli who were undergoing orthodontic treatment were particularly concerned about aesthetics. Additionally, the degree of anxiety or burden regarding the “period of orthodontic treatment” and the “clinical time of orthodontic treatment” was different for each of the development stages of the patients.
