ABSTRACT
Objective:
To assess oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL) in young adult patients with malocclusion and to measure the association between orthodontic treatment need and OHRQoL.
Materials and Methods:
The study sample comprised 190 young adults aged 18 to 25 years who were attending orthodontic clinics at the Faculty of Dentistry. The Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need-Dental Health Component was used to measure orthodontic treatment need. Each participant was assessed for OHRQoL before and after treatment by using the Oral Health Impact Profile, Chinese version (OHIP-14).
Results:
Patients who had little or no, borderline, and actual need for orthodontic treatment represented 21.6%, 50.5%, and 27.9% of the total sample, respectively. OHRQoL (total OHIP-14 score and score for each domain) improved after treatment (P < .05). Significant differences in summary OHIP-14 scores were apparent with respect to orthodontic treatment need. Participants with high treatment need reported a significantly greater negative impact on the overall OHRQoL score. The greatest impact was seen in the psychological discomfort domain and the psychological disability domain.
Conclusion:
Malocclusion has a significant negative impact on OHRQoL. This is greatest for the psychological discomfort and psychological disability domains. The orthodontic treatment of malocclusion improves OHRQoL of patients.
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