Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) amongst Patients Wearing Fixed Orthodontic Appliance in Pimpri, Pune, India - A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence of oral impacts on daily performances and influence of grades of malocclusion on OHRQoL in patients wearing fixed orthodontic appliance, and to assess the other potential factors (Gender, Socio-economic status, wiring technique of appliance, Operator choice) which are influencing the oral impacts in patients with fixed orthodontic appliance. Methods: 130 participants, 14-22 years old, were selected by convenience sampling from the Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics of the Dental College, Pune and from three private practitioners. Only those wearing fixed orthodontic appliances since the past 6 months were included. Face to face structured interviews were conducted to collect information about impacts, using the Oral Impact on Daily Performances (OIDP). Pre-treatment casts of participants were examined to record the malocclusion status using Index of complexity, outcome and need (ICON). Comparison was done between OIDP and ICON scores, and other co-variables. Results: The prevalence of oral impacts was 86.92%. 55.35% of the participants had an impact on three or more daily performances, commonly eating, social contact, cleaning teeth, speaking (78.46%, 51.53%, 45.38%, and 40.76% respectively). Only ICON scores had an influence on OIDP scores (p less than 0.05). Conclusion: Severity of malocclusion has great impact on OHRQoL during fixed orthodontic treatment.