Evaluation of oral health-related quality of life among patients with malocclusion

Abstract
Malocclusion has an important effect on patients’ social behaviors and mental situation and might affect their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). The aim of this study was to assess OHRQoL in patients attending orthodontics department of Isfahan Azad University.
The present descriptive study was conducted on 77 patients in need of orthodontic treatment applying a census sampling method. Before entering the treatment phase, volunteer patients filled out Oral Health Impact profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire. Index of Orthodontics Treatment Need (IOTN): Aesthetic Component (AC) and Dental Health Component (DHC) were used to assess patient’s orthodontic treatment need. Student’s t-test, Mann U Whitney test, analysis of variance, kruskal wallis test, Pearson and spearman correlation coefficient, and linear regression model served for statistical analysis.
The mean score of OHIP was 14.1 (±8.9, range 0-35). Orthodontic treatment need was high or very high among 65% of the participants based on DHC.  Based on AC, 33.8% of patients reported definite need to orthodontic treatment. A significant association existed between OHIP and DHC (r=0.28, P=0.017), and between OHIP and AC (r=0.24, P=0.036); however, it was weak. Based on linear regression model, OHIP was significantly associated with education (P=0.026) and AC of IOTN (P=0.026).
Although, the relationship between malocclusion and OHRQoLin the present study was week, it is recommended for orthodontist to consider the effects of oral problems on patients’ quality of life, in addition to their professional methods in diagnosis and treatment planning.