Evaluation of Association between Body Dysmorphic Disorder with the Aesthetic Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need from the Perspective of Patient and Orthodontists

Background: Body dysmorphic disorder is a psychological condition in which an individual persistently focuses on minor or imperceptible flaws in their appearance. This disorder has a high prevalence among orthodontic patients and can affect the patient's perceived need for treatment and treatment outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between body dysmorphic disorder and the aesthetic component of the index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN-AC) and IOTN-AC determined by examiner (IOTN-ACE).Methods and Materials: This descriptive study was conducted on 228 eligible orthodontic patients over the age of 12. Demographic information of the patients was recorded. Patients completed the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale modified for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD-YBOCS) questionnaire. The aesthetic component of the index of orthodontic treatment need was determined through a visual questionnaire completed by both the patient and the orthodontist. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.Results: In this study 19.7% of the patients were identified as having body dysmorphic disorder. The prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder in patients with a moderate treatment need based on IOTN-ACE (29.1%) was significantly higher than in the no treatment need group (15.5%) and the definite treatment need group (12.1%) (p=0.032). Additionally, no significant relationship was found between body dysmorphic disorder and IOTN-AC, as well as gender, marital status, and age group (p>0.05).Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that moderate treatment needs, as perceived by the orthodontist, can lead to greater psychological anxiety and body dysmorphic disorder in patients. Furthermore, the need assessed by the orthodontist does not necessarily align with the need perceived by the patient.