Three-Dimensional Assessment of the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Undergoing Fixed Orthodontic Therapy

Discomfort associated with the use of fixed orthodontic appliances may have a negative influence on the patient's oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). In general, OHRQoL assessments have the potential to provide information on the need to improve the overall quality of care. This study aims to assess the impact of fixed orthodontic appliances on OHRQoL of Saudi population and to explore the impact of the patient's gender and age on perceived treatment.

This cross-sectional study used a generic measure of OHRQoL the Arabic version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), which is a responsive measure to changes in oral health conditions. Data were collected using self-completed e-questionnaire which was distributed through social media and were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0.

A total of 149 subjects, 110 (73.8%) were females and 39 (26.2%) were males. Adolescents between 13 and 20 years were 63 (42.3%) and adults between 21 and 30 years were 86 (75.7%). A response rate of 100% was obtained. The prevalence of oral health impacts according to OHP-14 was 22.5%. OHIP-14 consists of 14 items covering seven domains. A three-dimensional structure was used to test the existence of separate dimensions: functional limitation, pain discomfort, and psychosocial impact. A significant difference was found between males and females in the first dimension (P = 0.038) and the third dimension (P = 0.022). In addition, a significant difference was also found between the two age groups included in the study within the third dimension (P = 0.025).

Fixed orthodontic appliances had an evident impact on OHRQoL. However, males had significantly altered functional limitations while females had a higher psychological impact. Furthermore, adults had a significantly higher psychological impact than adolescents.