%0 Journal Article
%T Influence of malocclusion on OHRQoL in adolescents in initial orthodontic treatment phase.
%A Schwarz L
%A Ossmann V
%A Ritschl V
%A Stamm T
%A Jonke E
%A Bekes K
%J Clin Oral Investig
%V 28
%N 5
%D 2024 Apr 30
%M 38684531
%F 3.606
%R 10.1007/s00784-024-05689-0
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>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.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>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).<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>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).<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>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.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>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.