ORTHODONTIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERSECTIONS: ASSESSING THE PSYCHIATRIC RELEVANCE OF MALOCCLUSION – A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Abstract
Introduction. Currently, mental health is one of the major social concerns. The etiology of psychiatric disorders is complex and multifactorial. Reduced self-esteem can be considered one of the contributing factors.
The aim of this review is to analyze available literature in order to identify a potential relationship between malocclusion and psychological disorders. It is postulated that dentofacial deformities may contribute to a reduced quality of life and, consequently, to the development of depression and other psychiatric conditions.
Materials and methods. A review of the literature available in the “PubMed” and „Google Scholar” databases was conducted. The search was performed using the following keywords: malocclusion, or-thognathic surgery, mental health, depression, anxiety, eating disorder
Results. According to most authors in available literature, malocclusion has an impact on mental health. It may increase the risk of depression or anxiety disorders and significantly reduce quality of life. Any delays in initiating treatment may also affect mental well-being, particularly in adolescents. A correlation was also found between malocclusion and poorer academic performance in children. Furthermore, attempts were made to examine the relationship between eating disorders (ED) and malocclusion. However, the findings remained unconclusive - study groups were to small and lacked diversity. Nevertheless, it can be noted that oral health issues, both orthodontic and carious, may increase discomfort during eating and in consequence negatively influence dietary habits.
Conclusions. Based on findings from available literature, a correlation between malocclusion and mental health can be inferred. However, the data remain inconsistent; therefore, more research is necessary to clarify this correlation.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Karolina Stępień, Marta Danuta Cendrowska, Łukasz Brzost, Beata Choromańska, Julia Maszewska, Szymon Milnerowicz, Julia Procyk, Barbara Ponitka, Justyna Berent, Paulina Rzepa, Aleksandra Klukowska, Wiktoria Szumlińska
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