Orthodontics is common in the US, where many people choose to straighten their teeth. It’s especially common in our teenage years, but many adults choose to get braces as well.
What makes people decide to get braces, Invisalign, or other orthodontic treatments? That’s what a team of researchers set out to identify, and they came up with one main unifying reason: hope. Hope for a better future is the most common reason why people decide to get orthodontic treatment.
Hope for the Future Is Key
How do you find out why people are choosing orthodontic treatment? There are several likely approaches, but for this study, researchers selected 18 individuals getting orthodontic treatment. They selected people of both genders and a wide range of ages. After interviews that lasted about an hour each, they compiled all the reasons why people opted to get orthodontic treatment.
In the interviews, people talked about those that influenced their decision, including people that both encouraged them and tried to discourage orthodontic treatment. However, in most cases, it was the desire for a better future that was the deciding factor.
Driving Forces for Orthodontics
However, hope for the future was not the only factor that researchers identified as being important. Instead, they found that people were influenced by many different motivations. One of the key factors was a perceived facial deformity. Researchers noted that even when people didn’t actually have a facial deformity, they often felt that they had one which could be corrected with orthodontics.
Other times, people reported that their self-consciousness about their teeth and the resulting negative self-image often led to tension and even open conflict with friends and family members, including significant others.
Some people reported that their families didn’t care about crooked teeth and discouraged them from getting treatment. Others cared, and were supportive. These families focused not just on the beauty of a straight smile, but also on the health benefits that can come from orthodontic treatment.
Barriers to Orthodontic Treatment
But it’s never easy to make a serious decision like this. People faced obstacles they had to overcome. One of the biggest was financial barriers. In response to this, people reported problems like having to sell jewelry or other property. Other times, people took on additional work to be able to afford orthodontic treatment.
Another concern people expressed was the time of treatment. Fortunately, these days the concern is less than ever, with the availability of faster orthodontic treatments like Invisalign.
Embrace Hope
Are you considering orthodontic treatment? While we understand that life is full of uncertainty and there are many concerns you might have, we know that orthodontic treatment is one of the things you can do to achieve a better future, one in which you enjoy a more attractive, healthier smile. You may also enjoy secondary benefits like better employment and improved personal relationships.
Getting braces or another orthodontic treatment is a powerful way to embrace your hope for a better future–and try to make it happen. To learn more about the benefits of braces in Spokane, WA, please call (509) 532-1111 today for an appointment with a cosmetic dentist at Collins Dentistry & Aesthetics.
