Meanings of Dentofacial Aesthetics and Their Influence on the Decision to Undergo Orthodontic Treatment

Introduction: the aim to this study was to interpret the definitions of dentofacial aesthetics, the social references through which these meanings are constructed, and their influence on the decision to undergo orthodontic treatment among a group of patients. Methods: qualitative ethnographic study including in-depth interviews, observation, and field notes. 12 patients undergoing orthodontic treatment were selected through theoretical sampling. Analysis involved coding and categorization procedures and the development of an interpretive analitycal narrative. Results: the analysis were performed using three pre-established categories and subcategories emerging from the collected data: (1) Definitions of dentofacial aesthetics, subcategories: “Dentofacial aesthetics is a stereotype that can only be achieved through procedures”, “The face and smile as gateways to social acceptance”; (2) Cultural and social references that have oriented the construction of meanings, subcategory: “sociocultural references of aesthetics are influenced by marketing and communication strategies”. (3) Aspects influencing decisions about undergoing orthodontic treatment, subcategories: “the decision to undergo orthodontic treatment is not primarily driven by the desire to improve oral health, but rather by the pursuit of an idealized dental appearance”. Conclusion: meanings of dentofacial aesthetics tend to be reductionist and associated with the pursuit of idealized dental and facial forms embedded in consumer-driven body models promoted by Western scientific and cultural frameworks. Decisions to undergo orthodontic interventions reflect underlying economic and political forces that shape subjectivities.