Abstract
Aims: Caries and Malocclusion are considered public health problems due to high prevalence and their impact on quality of life. The overall goal of this study was to assess the prevalence of caries, malocclusion and their impact in the Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQL) in a Peruvian population.
Methods: For this cross-sectional study, five calibrated trained orthodontists examined a sample of 301 adolescents (42% male and 58% female). Subjects were randomly selected from public schools in Cuzco, Peru to ensure that this was a representative sample. Interviews were conducted using the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) to determine the impact of caries and malocclusion in OHRQL. A visual clinical examination was carried out using the index of decayed, missing and filled surface (DMFS). The need for orthodontic treatment was assessed using the index of complexity, outcome and need (ICON). The associations between measurements of caries, malocclusion, and the five conceptually distinct subscales of the COHIP index were examined. Statistical analysis was performed by means of STATA software program. The significance of differences for DMFS and ICON grades was assessed by means of chi-square tests (p<0.05).Committee in Human research approval was obtained. Parents gave written consent before their children took part of this study. Results: The age of the children ranged from 11 to 19. The mean DMFS was 7.6 with 64% of the subjects presenting with more than 5 caries lesions, 30% had pulpal involvement. More than 60% of the population was in need of orthodontic treatment, 48% of them were considered moderate to difficult to treat. We found a direct relationship between malocclusion and OHRQL (p=0.006) and caries and OHRQL (p=0.001).
Conclusion: The prevalence of caries and malocclusion in this population is high, affecting the quality of life of children and adolescents.
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