Studying How Crooked Teeth Affect Quality of Life and Orthodontic Treatment in Adolescents Aged 12 to 19

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to explore how malocclusions affect oral health related quality of life in adolescents aged 12 to 19 years. It evaluates two questionnaires designed to measure this impact, comparing differences based on malocclusion types, gender, and socioeconomic status. The study also follows changes over time before, during, and after orthodontic treatment, including a comparison group without malocclusion. The study involves two groups 500 adolescents with malocclusion attending specialist orthodontic clinics and 175 adolescents without malocclusion seen at general dentistry clinics. Participants complete two questionnaires in a randomized order and have five standardized intraoral photographs taken at multiple time points. The malocclusion group is assessed before treatment, one year into treatment, two months after treatment completion, and one year after treatment ends. The no malocclusion group is examined at matching intervals. Participants answer questionnaires in a calm clinical setting, and photographs, clinical measurements, and dental x-rays are used to assess malocclusion presence and severity. Information on dental health and socioeconomic status is collected from records and statistics. Researchers measure changes in oral health related quality of life over about 2.5 years, monitoring the effect of orthodontic treatment and natural changes in untreated individuals.

The Effect of Malocclusions on Oral Health Related Quality of Life