The assessment of oral health related quality of life for children with malocclusion in comparison with their mothers

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Background: The quality of life measures have been widely developed and used in dentistry because of their
importance in measuring the child and public perceptions for oral health. The purpose of this study was to compare
the responses to child perceptions questionnaire for measuring oral health related quality of life and their mother
perceptions questionnaire.
Materials and methods: The study was conducted on 80 pairs of mothers and their children, aged 11to14 years; with
malocclusion according to orthodontic index of treatment need dental health component. The children and their
mothers completed the questionnaire independently.
Results: The mean ratings were similar for total scores (children, 19.9; mothers, 19.1), oral symptoms (children, 4.9;
mothers, 4.2), and social well-being (children, 3.9; mothers, 4.4). However, the mothers group had a lower mean
score for functional limitations (children, 5.1; mothers, 3.2) and a higher mean score for emotional well-being
(children, 5.3; mothers,6.8). The correlations between children's and mothers' responses ranged from rs = 0.652 for
emotional well-being to rs = 0.422 for functional limitations. There were good correlations between their responses to
global (rs = 0.622) and life overall (rs = 0.499) questions
Conclusions: The maternal opinions were similar to those of their children concerning the impact of malocclusion on
overall aspects of their children life, but the mothers overestimated the emotional impact of malocclusion on their
children's life.
Keywords: oral-health, quality of life, child. (J Bagh Coll Dentistry 2011;23(1):81-85).