Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Responses Associated with Mechanical Tooth Movement

Cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses to pain associated with mechanical tooth movement differ from responses to other procedures involved in changing physical appearance. Although orthodontic treatment can be an unpleasant experience that may be painful at times, it is more of a discomfort that can be attenuated by the expectation of improvement in quality of life resulting from an improvement in occlusion and facial morphology. In contrast to the almost immediate changes in appearance following plastic surgery, patients undergoing orthodontic treatment have a longer time to adjust their perceptions, emotions, and behavior to the relatively smaller changes in morphology. Techniques for managing the discomfort and behavioral changes associated with orthodontic procedures are described.