OBJECTIVES

Besides correcting malocclusions, another main objective of orthodontic treatment is to improve patients' oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). This study aimed to assess changes in OHRQoL of children within the first six months of orthodontic therapy with fixed orthodontic appliances.

METHODS

85 patients aged 11 to 14 years requiring fixed orthodontic appliance therapy were included. The children completed the German version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ-G-11-14) before (T0), 1 month (T1) and 6 months (T2) after the start of orthodontic treatment. The type of malocclusion was categorized according to the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN).

RESULTS

The initial type of malocclusion affected the children's OHRQoL, whereas gender and age did not. The IOTN dental health component (DHC) had a significant impact on the CPQ score (median CPQ of 15.00 for the group DHC 4 vs. 22.50 for DHC 5, p = 0.032). The onset of orthodontic treatment initially affected the CPQ domains "Oral symptoms" and "Functional limitations, with a change versus baseline of 2.00 (p = 0.001), but improved again after 6 months. Regression analysis demonstrated that children with an IOTN DHC 5 malocclusion experienced a greater impact on their ORHQoL, as indicated by a CPQ score 7.35 points higher than that of children with an IOTN DHC 4 malocclusion (p = 0.015).

CONCLUSIONS

At the beginning of orthodontic treatment, the OHRQoL slightly worsens, probably due to the discomfort and appearance of the appliances. However, 6 months after the start of orthodontic treatment, OHRQoL improved again in patients with severe malocclusion (IOTN 4 and 5), and approached baseline values.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The results help the clinician to better understand specific aspects of oral health that may be affected by different malocclusions, thereby improving the child's satisfaction and overall quality of life.