ObjectiveTo describe the perception of the quality of life in oral health based on the Health-Related Quality of Life instrument in its Spanish version (HRQOL-sp) in Chilean patients with third molar extraction surgery.Patients and methodsA cross-sectional study. The HRQOL-sp was administered to dental patients at the Public Hospital in Rio Bueno in southern Chile treated for unilateral third molar extraction between March and June 2014. The instrument was applied by phone survey on the first, third, fifth, and seventh days after surgery. For the ordinal scale, the response was considered interference in the quality of life when patients selected the options “quite a bit of trouble” or “lots of trouble” for oral function and general activity; and selected complications-related signs and symptoms, a pain level score with a Verbal Rating Scale (range 0 to 7), and worst pain perceived. The patient’s sociodemographic data, type of surgery, and the quality of life level were analyzed according to the domains of the HRQOL-sp instrument.ResultsA total of 106 patients were selected (age: 20.4±7.39 years; 71.7% women) and a total of 127 extracted third molars. On the first day of follow-up, most patients reported interference in their quality of life. The main problems were difficulty opening the mouth (50.94%) and swelling (83.02%). The worst symptom perceived was “bad breath” (>31%) and the worst pain felt was a mean of 4.31±1.62 on the Verbal Rating Scale. All items gradually reduced until the seventh day.ConclusionThe HRQOL-sp revealed substantial interference in the quality of life on the first postoperative day. It is suggested that the risk factors associated with quality of life be analyzed and the instrument in Spanish be validated.

To develop preventive and interceptive strategies in orthodontics is necessary to know the prevalence of malocclusion of the population in which is intended to introduce these measures. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malocclusion in schoolchildren of 6 and 12 year-old from Choshuenco and Neltume 2015, belonging to the commune of Panguipulli, Chile. A descriptive study of census was conducted. The total sample was 91 children and adolescents enrolled in educational institutions in the towns of Choshuenco and Neltume. A visual clinical examination was performed to determine the number of individual malocclusions according to the method of Björk et al. (1964). For data analysis descriptive statistic was performed using Excel program. Prevalence of malocclusions was 60 % at 6 years and 91.3 % at 12 years. Prevalence data exceed those reported nationwide so it is necessary to reinforce promotional measures in the population and promote preventive - interceptive actions taking place in these locations.