Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine decision factors to start orthodontic treatment with male and female undergraduates having experience in orthodontic treatment at a dental clinic or hospital because of malocclusion. Methods: A survey was carried out to investigate decision factors to begin orthodontic treatment with 330 male and female undergraduates attending universities located in Daegu Metropolitan City or Gyeongsangbuk-do who had experience in orthodontic treatment at a dental clinic or hospital because of malocclusion, and out of 330 questionnaire sheets, total 294 (89.1%) sheets were employed for analysis after excluding ones unreliably or erroneously answered. Results: According to the results of analyzing decision factors for orthodontic treatment, such factors as 'a dentistry-related person's suggestion', 'feeling necessity on one's own' are found to be significantly higher in students majoring in health units than those having non-dental health majors, and students residing in small and medium cities are influenced more significantly by this decision factor, 'an acquaintance's suggestion', than those living in farming and fishing villages or big cities, and students who started orthodontic treatment at elementary school were more significantly influenced by the factor, 'feeling necessity through the public media'. Conclusion: Among the factors influencing their decision on orthodontic treatment, no influence was found in sexual difference, and each of the decision factors influenced them considerably according to the difference of their residence, economic power, majors, or time to start orthodontic treatment.