Traumatic dental injury with treatment needs negatively affects the quality of life of Brazilian schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND

Traumatic dental injury (TDI) has been considered a significant problem in youth, not only because of its consequences to the craniofacial structures but also for its potential impact on the quality of life of affected individuals.

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of TDI with treatment needs on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of South Brazilian schoolchildren.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was performed in Porto Alegre, Brazil, using a multistage probability sampling strategy. Of 1837 eligible 12-year-old schoolchildren attending public and private schools, 1528 were examined. OHRQoL was assessed by the Brazilian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire for 11-to 14-year-old children (CPQ11-14) - 16-item short form. Clinical examination was conducted to assess the presence of TDI in permanent incisors (Children's Dental Health Survey criteria), malocclusion, and dental caries. Parents/legal guardians answered questions on socioeconomic status. Statistical analyses were performed using Poisson regression models.

RESULTS

The overall CPQ11-14 score was not associated with TDI. In the functional limitations domain, individuals presenting TDIs with treatment needs experienced significantly higher mean CPQ11-14 than individuals with no TDI or without treatment needs (RR = 1.21; 95% CI = 1.05-1.39), after adjusting for malocclusion, dental caries, gender, and socioeconomic status. No other domains were associated with TDI.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that TDI with treatment needs negatively affects the OHRQoL in this population of 12-year-old schoolchildren and that this impact is related to oral functions.