Brits: Who Needs Orthodontic Braces?

Remember those orthodontic braces you had to endure for years during adolescence? It turns out all the psychological trauma you suffered then may not have saved you any later in life: A major 20-year study by psychologists and dentists has cast doubt on the assumption that orthodontic treatment improves psychological well-being. "It can be concluded […]

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Remember those orthodontic braces you had to endure for years during adolescence? It turns out all the psychological trauma you suffered then may not have saved you any later in life:

A major 20-year study by psychologists and dentists has cast doubt on the assumption that orthodontic treatment improves psychological well-being.

"It can be concluded that, although in general participants' self-esteem increased over the 20-year period, it was not as a result of receiving braces and didn't relate to whether an orthodontic treatment need existed in 1981. This runs contrary to the widespread belief among dentists that orthodontic treatment improves psychological well-being, for which there is very little evidence."

The team, which included academics…also concluded that the health or attractiveness of a person's teeth is a minor factor in determining their psychological well-being in adulthood.

Umm… aren't we talking about British teeth here?

Orthodontic Treatment May Not Help Psychological Health [press release]