Key Points
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Traditional measures of orthodontic need have placed relatively little emphasis on the impact of malocclusion on either the patient's or their family members' quality of life.
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These findings highlight that the presence of occlusal traits such as increased overjet or dental spacing have a significant negative impact on not only the child, but also their family's quality of life.
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The importance of the potential role parents play in influencing the child's uptake of orthodontic treatment and the subsequent support and compliance attained is alluded to.
Abstract
Objectives The purpose of this prospective study was to assess the impact of two occlusal traits on the quality of life of children and their families.
Methods A total of 180 subjects, which included 90 consecutive patients (aged 13-15 years) and their parents, were recruited on the basis of predetermined criteria to the following groups: increased overjet, spaced dentition and control. Each subject and their parent underwent separate supervised completion of a Child or Parental-Caregiver Perception questionnaire, respectively, which are components of the Child Oral Health Quality of Life questionnaire.
Results The three groups were shown not to demonstrate any differences in socio-demographic characteristics. Statistically significant differences were observed between children in the control group and their counterparts in the increased overjet (p = 0.002) and spaced dentition (p < 0.001) groups. However, no such difference was detected between children in the increased overjet and spaced dentition groups (p = 0.5). Parents of these children demonstrated similar statistical findings: p = 0.007, p = 0.003 and p = 0.9, respectively.
Conclusions Occlusal traits such as an increased overjet and a spaced dentition have a significant negative impact on both the children's and their families' quality of life.
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Johal, A., Cheung, M. & Marcenes, W. The impact of two different malocclusion traits on quality of life. Br Dent J 202, E6 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/bdj.2007.33
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