Impact of treatment with orthodontic aligners on the oral health-related quality of life

• Published in: BMC oral health 2024-04, Vol.24 (1), p.419-7
• Main Authors: Souza, Gabriela Luiza Nunes, de Campos França, Esdras, de Araújo Lombardi, Marcelo, da Costa, Giselle Cabral, da Rocha, Najara Barbosa, Abreu, Lucas Guimarães
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aligners; Epidemiology; Orthodontics; Quality of life
• ISSN: 1472-6831; 1472-6831
• DOI: 10.1186/s12903-024-04183-z

There is an increasing interest in information on the effects of orthodontic aligners on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of people.BACKGROUNDThere is an increasing interest in information on the effects of orthodontic aligners on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of people.To compare the impact of orthodontic aligners versus conventional fixed appliances on OHRQoL, using a validated tool and controlling for sociodemographic and clinical variables.AIMTo compare the impact of orthodontic aligners versus conventional fixed appliances on OHRQoL, using a validated tool and controlling for sociodemographic and clinical variables.Sixty-one individuals participated in this study. Group 1 (G1) consisted of 33 individuals under treatment with orthodontic aligners and Group 2 (G2) comprised 28 individuals under treatment with conventional fixed appliances. OHRQoL was evaluated with the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) in which 14 items are distributed across seven dimensions: functional limitation, physical pain, psychological discomfort, physical disability, psychological disability, social disability, and handicap. The higher the score, the more negative is the perception of the individual regarding his/her OHRQoL. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney test, and Poisson regression were performed. Effect Size (ES) and Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) were also determined.METHODSixty-one individuals participated in this study. Group 1 (G1) consisted of 33 individuals under treatment with orthodontic aligners and Group 2 (G2) comprised 28 individuals under treatment with conventional fixed appliances. OHRQoL was evaluated with the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) in which 14 items are distributed across seven dimensions: functional limitation, physical pain, psychological discomfort, physical disability, psychological disability, social disability, and handicap. The higher the score, the more negative is the perception of the individual regarding his/her OHRQoL. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney test, and Poisson regression were performed. Effect Size (ES) and Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) were also determined.Participants' mean age was 30.69 years. Individuals in G1 had a significantly lower score for physical pain and the total score of OHIP-14 compared to individuals in G2 (p