Impact of specific orthodontic parameters on the oral health-related quality of life in children and adolescents : Aprospective interdisciplinary, multicentre, cohort study.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to analyse the impact of specific orthodontic findings on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) when taking into consideration age and psychological factors in children and adolescents. In all, 250 children and adolescents with an indication for orthodontic diagnostics were recruited using amulticentre study design. Using validated and internationally acknowledged questionnaires, we assessed OHRQoL, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), self-esteem and behavioural problems. We also examined aselection of specific orthodontic findings using photos, model casts and cephalometric analyses, and investigated the impact of these parameters on OHRQoL using simple linear regression analyses. Thereafter, we added all the significant specific orthodontic and psychological parameters to amultiple linear regression model using astepwise forwards selection procedure. We were able to identify different specific orthodontic findings that have asignificant impact on OHRQoL. These were the type of lip closure, the position of the chin, the Little-index of the upper jaw, the overjet, the overbite and the ANB angle. Moreover, we were able to demonstrate that psychological and some specific orthodontic parameters have asignificant impact on OHRQoL. Specific orthodontic findings have asignificant impact on patients' perceived OHRQoL. Further longitudinal studies are required to investigate whether the treatment and correction of these malocclusions also improve the OHRQoL of children and adolescents.