Impact of malocclusion on the quality of life of children aged 8 to 10 years

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to assess the impact of malocclusion on the quality of life of children aged 8 to 10 years attending public elementary schools in Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods: The Brazilian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 8-10 (CPQ8-10) was used to evaluate oral health-related quality of life. The children were examined for the diagnosis of malocclusion using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). The data were analyzed by bivariate and multivariate descriptive statistics using Poisson regression at a 5% significance level. A total of 270 children participated in the study. Results: Children with normal occlusion or mild malocclusion (DAI ≤ 25) were 56% less likely (95%CI: 0.258-0.758; p= 0.003) to have their quality of life affected compared with children diagnosed with extremely severe malocclusion (DAI ≥ 36). Children with a maxillary anterior overjet ≥ 3 mm had higher CPQ8-10 mean scores (19.4; SD = 17.1) than those with an overjet < 3 mm (13.6; SD = 11.7; p= 0.038). Conclusions: Extremely severe malocclusion and pronounced maxillary anterior overjet were associated with a negative impact on quality of life.

RESUMO Objetivo: o objetivo do presente estudo transversal foi avaliar o impacto da má oclusão na qualidade de vida de crianças na faixa etária de 8 a 10 anos de idade, estudantes de escolas da rede pública da cidade de Belo Horizonte, estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Métodos: o instrumento utilizado para medir a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal foi a versão brasileira do Child Perceptions Questionnaire 8-10 (CPQ8-10). As crianças foram examinadas para diagnóstico de má oclusão utilizando-se o Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). A análise dos dados foi realizada por meio de estatística descritiva, bivariada e multivariada por meio da regressão de Poisson, com nível de significância de 5%. Participaram do estudo 270 crianças. Resultados: crianças com oclusão normal ou má oclusão leve (DAI ≤25) apresentaram 56% menos probabilidade (IC 95%: 0,258-0,758; p= 0,003) de impacto na qualidade de vida, comparadas com crianças diagnosticadas com má oclusão muito grave (DAI ≥ 36). Crianças com sobressaliência superior anterior ≥ 3 mm apresentaram maiores escores médios de CPQ8-10 (19,4; DP = 17,1) do que aqueles com sobressaliência < 3 mm (13,6; DP=11,7; p= 0,038). Conclusões: a má oclusão muito grave e a sobressaliência superior anterior aumentada se associaram ao impacto negativo na qualidade de vida.

Prevalence of and factors associated with enamel fracture and other traumas in Brazilian children 8-10 years old

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and discriminate the associated factors between enamel fractures and other trauma/trauma sequelae in 8 to 10-year-old Brazilian schoolchildren. A representative sample of 1,201 children from public and private schools were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Questionnaires about sociodemographic characteristics were answered by parents. The outcome variable (traumatic dental injury, TDI) was multi-categorized. Independent individual variables were sex, age, number of residents in household, parents/caregivers' level of education, family income, dental caries, and overjet. Type of school was considered an independent contextual variable. Multilevel analysis, bivariate, and multivariate multinomial logistic regression models were performed. The prevalence of TDI was 14.0% (2.8% with other trauma/trauma sequelae). The multilevel analysis revealed no significant difference between the type of school and TDI. The multinomial logistic regression showed that boys (OR = 2.3; 95%CI: 1.1-4.8), older children (OR = 1.8; 95%CI: 1.1-3.0) and individuals with an overjet > 3 mm (OR = 2.5; 95%CI: 1.0-6.2) were more likely to present other trauma/trauma sequelae. Enamel fracture was not significantly associated with any variables. The prevalence of TDI in 8 to 10-year-old schoolchildren was 14% but only 2.8% of other trauma/trauma sequelae. Differences regarding the associated factors of TDI involving enamel fracture or other trauma/trauma sequelae were detected, suggesting that the different TDI classification cannot be evaluated as a single category.

Dental caries and social factors: impact on quality of life in Brazilian children

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of dental caries and social determinants in the Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of children in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. This is a population-based cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 1,204 children aged 8 to 10 years randomly selected from 19 public and private schools. The children were clinically examined at school by two trained and calibrated examiners (Kappa = 0.78 - 1.00). The Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth Index (DMF-T and dmf-t) was used for the diagnosis of dental caries. The social factors were determined by parents’/caregivers’ schooling, household income, number of people in the household, type of school, and by the Social Vulnerability Index. The Brazilian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire for ages 8 to 10 years was used to assess the impact on quality of life. A total of 278 (23.1%) out of 1,204 children had at least one cavitated carious lesion and 47.0% presented a negative impact on OHRQoL. In the final multivariate Poisson’s regression model, household income and presence of untreated dental caries were statistically associated with a negative impact on OHRQoL (p < 0.001).Children with dental caries and from low-income families had a higher negative impact on OHRQoL.