The Relationship between Malocclusion Severity and Quality of Life in North Iran Students

Background 

A malocclusion is a misalignment or incorrect relation between the teeth of the two dental arches when they approach each other as the jaws close. Considering the prevalence of malocclusion and its role in quality of life (QOL), we aimed to investigate the relationship between need of orthodontic treatment and QOL in North Iran students. 

Materials and Methods:

 This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study; the sample size was estimated to be 270 students using a two-stage sampling method. After entering the study, the Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ) was completed for each student. Need of orthodontic treatment was assessed based on the dental health component of index of treatment need (IOTN). SPSS software version 22.0 was used for data analysis.

 Results:

 274 students (133 boys and 141 girls) participated in this study. The mean age was 14.86 ±0.54. The mean QOL scores were 13.31±11.78 and it was not significant statistically in boys and girls (P=0.893). Mean QOL scores were not statistically significant (P = 0.306) according to grade of IOTN. Grade 2 had the highest frequency (37.2%) with the lowest mean score of QOL (11.65±10.31), and Grade 5 had the lowest frequency (2.6%) with the highest mean score of QOL (15.83±7.78). IOTN was not statistically significant in both groups (P>0.05). 

Conclusion:

 In our study, students with dental malocclusion had the lowest QOL, although no significant relationship was observed. Almost a quarter of students needed orthodontic treatment. The most common malocclusion was displacement of contact points.