Autopercepção do perfil facial de adolescentes e fatores associados: características do indivíduo, bem-estar e autoestima

Abstract

The period of adolescence is relevant in orthodontic treatment, as changes occur in this phase of dentofacial development that greatly modify the dentition and the face. It is usually in this age group that orthodontic treatment begins and its search is predominantly triggered by an aesthetic demand. Facial profile can undergo major changes during orthodontic treatment, according to the type of treatment. Therefore, orthodontic treatment planning based on scientific evidence also requires the patient's participation in reporting self-perception of their facial profile. The self-perception of patients in the adolescence life cycle can be influenced by factors such as age, sex and self-esteem. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of self-esteem, well-being and individual characteristics on the self-perception of the oral facial profile in adolescents. A cross-sectional observational study was carried out with a sample of 158 adolescents of both sexes, aged between 10 and 19 years, patients and undergraduate students of the Faculty of Dentistry of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. The self-perception of facial profiles was assessed by presenting a template containing 10 profile photographs, nine of which were standardized photographs and one profile photograph of the study participant. The participant was asked to identify his/her soft tissue profile among the 10 photographs. Soft tissue profile photographs were taken by a trained researcher. The adolescents' self-esteem was measured using the validated Brazilian version of the Rosenberg Scale. For adolescents under 18 years of age, their parents/guardians completed a questionnaire about the socioeconomic and demographic conditions of the adolescents and their families, and about how much the adolescent's well-being was affected by oral conditions. Adolescents aged 18 years and over answered the same questions. Descriptive statistics and unadjusted and adjusted Poisson regression with robust variance were used for data analysis (p<0.05). The adjusted analysis model showed that self-perception of the facial profile was higher in older adolescents (PR=1.79; 95%CI:1.34-2.40; p<0.001) and whose general well-being was not affected by oral conditions (PR=1.41; 95%CI:0.91-1.81; p=0.007). Adolescents who report feeling like failures (PR=0.63; 95%CI:0.46-0.85; p=0.003) and those who have a positive attitude towards themselves (PR=1.46; 95% CI: 1.00-2.14; p=0.050) are more likely to recognize their facial profile than those who do not have these feelings. It is concluded that older adolescents, who did not have their general well-being affected by their oral condition, who reported feeling like failures and having a positive attitude about themselves, were more likely to recognize their facial profile.