Join me for a summary exploring bullying and its
relationship with malocclusion, with a contemporary review of evidence showing
the psychological effects various malocclusions can cause young people. This
podcast is a summary of Andrew DiBiase’s lecture last year at the British
Orthodontic Conference. Andrew’s research explores what factors moderate
bullying, and what factors can be protective against bullying.
Nearly 1 in 3 patients report teasing or fear of
teasing as a motivating factor for orthodontic treatment Bauss 2023 AJODO
1 in 7 patients attending our clinics are
bullied Seehra et al., 2011
Most upsetting feature of bullying teeth 60.7%
13, 387 teenagers 25% report bullying
Around 7% related to teeth
Definition of bullying: Olweus 1984
Unprovoked and sustained campaign of aggression,
towards someone in order to hurt them
Student exposed repeatedly to negative action on
the part of one or more students
Harm, imbalance of power, organised, repetitive,
Who gets bullied and how?
Younger more – 10 year olds 22%, 15 year olds 7%
Girls are greater than boys by 5%
Boys low athletic competence
Judged on homour as well Langlois 2000
We do judge girls on physical appearance Langlois
80% verbal - Cyber bullying – doest stop at the
Short term and long term effects
Poorer academic performance
26% within young population and teeth occupying
the reason in 1 in 5 young people Bitor 2022 AJODO
Structural changes, medulla – related to fear
(peer victimisation and its impact on adolescent brain)
What features are more likely to result in bullying
Increased overjet 16% Tristão SR 2020
Missing teeth, anterior spacing
Regression – younger worse
Low athletic competence p 0.019
Relationship between bullying and severe
Schoolchildren who report being bothered by
their teeth report being lonelier at school and lower self-esteem
Malocclusion has a greater impact on females
Malocclusion and peer relations is moderated by
self-esteem in girls, but not boys
Good peer relations protect against the negative
impact of malocclusion in girls with low or average self-esteem