Comparison of personality traits, attitude toward orthodontic treatment, and pain perception and experience before and after orthodontic treatment

Objective: To compare personality traits, attitude toward orthodontic treatment, and pain perception and experience before and after orthodontic treatment. Materials and Methods: One hundred subjects (50 male and 50 female) were included in this study. The mean (SD) age was 17.5 (2.05) years at T1 and 19.15 (2.32) years at T2. The instruments for data collection were questionnaires that included assessment of patients' personality traits, attitudes toward orthodontic treatment, and pain perception/experience. Subjects completed the questionnaires at two different times: before orthodontic treatment (T1) and after fixed orthodontic treatment (T2). Subjects were treated by fixed orthodontic appliances for an average (SD) period of 18.64 (0.35) months. Paired sample t-test and chi-square test were used to detect any differences. Results: Significant changes in personality traits were detected after orthodontic treatment irrespective of gender. Neuroticisnn, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness scores were improved (P < .001). A positive attitude toward orthodontic treatment was reported at T1 (4.31 [+/- 1.26]) and improved at T2 (3.98 [+/- 1.16]) irrespective of gender (P < .05). The average (SD) expected pain score (T1) was 4.73 (1.88) and the average (SD) experienced pain score (T2) was 4.63 (1.58). Significant difference in the expected and experienced pain scores was not detected (P = .11). Conclusions: Personality traits and attitude toward orthodontic treatment improved after orthodontic treatment. Reported actual pain experience during orthodontic treatment was similar to that expected before treatment.