RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To investigate self-recognition and self-perception among participants with straight, convex, and concave profiles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire with questions about demographic information, self-perception of the facial profile, satisfaction with profile esthetics, expectations about profile changes after completing orthodontic treatment, motivational factors, and self-recognition. For the self-recognition question, profiles of the respondents were blackened and inserted into the questionnaire. Participants were categorized into three groups: those exhibiting a convex, straight, and concave profile. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the straight, concave, and convex profile groups regarding self-recognition and self-perception. Participants showed greater ability in self-recognition than self-perception of their soft-tissue profile (P = .001). Females showed higher capability in self-perception than males (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Self-recognition and self-perception of the soft-tissue profile are not influenced by facial convexity.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of gender and orthodontic qualification length on the awareness, knowledge and usage of orthodontic diagnostic mobile applications, non-diagnostic mobile applications and social media platforms among orthodontic clinicians. DESIGN: Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. SETTING: The Republic of Croatia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 92 orthodontic specialists, members of the Croatian Dental Chamber. METHODS: This study was conducted using a questionnaire distributed via email to orthodontic clinicians between May and July 2022. RESULTS: In total, 92 respondents were divided into groups according to sex and median orthodontic qualification length: more recently qualified (MRQ) with ⩽12 years; and longer qualified (LQ) with >12 years. Nearly one-third of respondents did not have any prior knowledge of mobile applications used as an orthodontic diagnostic tool. MRQ respondents were more interested in using mobile apps as opposed to computer software for digital analysis (P < 0.05). This interest was in a negative correlation with orthodontic qualification length (P < 0.01) and was more prevalent among female respondents (P < 0.001). About one-third (32.6%) of respondents did not use non-diagnostic mobile applications and 44.6% did not use social media platforms. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of the respondents did not promote their work through social media. Male respondents and LQ promoted their work more frequently than others (P < 0.05). The usage of other mobile applications was in a positive correlation with the knowledge and awareness of orthodontic mobile applications (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Orthodontic clinicians lacked knowledge, awareness and the usage of orthodontic diagnostic mobile applications according to sex and orthodontic qualification length. One-third used non-diagnostic mobile applications and less than half used social platforms in daily clinical work.