Association between anterior open bite and impact on quality of life of preschool children

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between different types of malocclusion and the impact on quality of life among preschoolers and their families. A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 451 children 3-5 years of age. A clinical exam was performed to evaluate the malocclusions according to criteria proposed by Foster and Hamilton. This examination was conducted by a calibrated dentist. Parents/caregivers answered the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) for the assessment of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) and the questionnaire on socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, chi-square, Mann-Whitney and hierarchically adjusted Poisson regression. The prevalence of malocclusion was 28.4%. The most frequent conditions were posterior crossbite (20.4%), anterior open bite (9.5%) and increased overjet (8.4%). A significant association was found between anterior open bite and OHRQoL (p < 0.001). The adjusted analysis confirmed the association between anterior open bite and a negative impact on quality of life (PR = 2.55; 95%CI: 1.87 to 3.47; p < 0.001). Anterior open bite was associated with a negative impact on the quality of life of preschoolers.

Impacto da cárie dentária, maloclusão e hábitos orais na qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde oral em crianças pré-escolares

“…The malocclusion causes important impact on individuals, in relation to well-being, functional and social limitations (3,12) . However, there was not any evidence, in this study, of association between malocclusion and impacts related to oral health.…”

“…Studies have shown that dental caries present negative impact on quality of life of children and their families, including nutrition aspects, behavioral oral symptoms and educational alterations (1,2,3,4) . Other oral alterations, such as malocclusions, have also been associated with quality of life worsening (3,11,12) , mainly in relation to psychosocial issues and functional limitations.…”

Dental caries, but not malocclusion or developmental defects, negatively impacts preschoolers’ quality of life

“…The impact of malocclusion in the quality of child life was also observed in a study of children in south-east Brazil. According to the previous study, open bite was associated with a negative impact on the OHRQoL of preschoolers, causing functional limitations as difficulty eating and pronouncing words and affect the perception of self-image and social interaction 10 .…”

Malocclusion Diagnosis: Normative Criteria and Self-Perception of Adolescents

“…In another study involving 274 adolescents aged 12-17 years in Nigeria, the DAI index showed that 8% of the sample presented disabling malocclusions [11]. In addition, in children with primary dentition, the prevalence was high, as in a study carried out in a municipality of Minas Gerais with 499 preschoolers, which resulted in a prevalence of malocclusion of 28.4%, and posterior cross bite was the most frequent (20.4%) (12).…”

“…Dissatisfaction with appearance, dentist's recommendation, interests and concerns of parents and influence of people who use braces are among the main motivating factors of those seeking treatment reported in literature [12,14].…”