Comparison of attitudes toward orthodontic treatment between adolescents in Beijing and in Yokohama / 中华口腔医学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the attitudes toward orthodontic treatment between adolescents in Beijing, China and in Yokohama, Japan.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Standardized questionnaires were sent to 5500 adolescents in Beijing, China and 4646 adolescents in Yokohama, Japan. The data were analyzed statistically.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In Beijing, 3964 questionnaires were returned (72.1%) while in Yokohama, 3291 questionnaires were completed (70.8%). About 19.0% of the students had completed or were undergoing orthodontic treatment in Beijing while the corresponding figure was about 14.2% in Yokohama (P < 0.001). A higher percentage of Japanese adolescents (79.2%) valued orthodontic treatment while 66.0% of the Chinese adolescents did. The adolescents in Yokohama had more knowledge about the period of orthodontic treatment than the adolescents in Beijing. A higher percentage of Japanese adolescents (78.6%) considered that malocclusion might influence the dental health than Chinese adolescents (65.7%) did.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Less percentage of the adolescents in Yokohama received orthodontic treatment than those in Beijing. The percentage of Japanese adolescents satisfied with orthodontic treatment was significantly higher than that of Chinese adolescents. The adolescents in Yokohama had more knowledge about orthodontic treatment than those in Beijing. A higher percentage of Japanese adolescents considered that malocclusion might influence the dental health.</p>