The impact of tooth agenesis on oral health-related quality of life in children

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-sectional survey was to evaluate the psychosocial impact of tooth agenesis in children and to investigate the potential influence of gender, socioeconomic status, severity of tooth absence, and the number of retained primary teeth on their quality of life. A total of 86 children (36 male, 50 female) with tooth agenesis, aged 11-14 years were recruited from the Birmingham Dental Hospital, United Kingdom. Thirty subjects with a complete dentition and having a low treatment need acted as controls. Children completed the validated Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ) and their parents completed the Parental-Caregiver Perceptions Questionnaire (P-CPQ). The median number of missing teeth in the sample population was 6. There were significant differences in the oral symptoms, functional limitations and the social and emotional well-being reported between the agenesis and control groups. The overall CPQ scores were significantly higher in children with tooth agenesis (P<0·001). No significant correlation was detected between the number of missing teeth and the quality of life score. There was no influence found on the CPQ score from gender, socioeconomic status, the site of agenesis or the presence of retained primary teeth. There was moderate correlation between parental and child reported quality of life. Tooth agenesis can have a significant impact on the quality of life of children, resulting in oral symptoms, functional limitation and also affecting emotional and social well-being. This does not appear to be related to the number of missing teeth. This study has implications for our understanding of the effect of tooth absence on the quality of life of children and their parents and addressing these reported impacts may help to improve patient satisfaction.