Oral health-related quality of life after orthodontic treatment for anterior tooth alignment

The aim of this work was to evaluate associations of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) with sociodemographic factors and with emotional state in adults after orthodontic treatment for anterior tooth alignment. Few studies have examined these specific associations in the past, one reason presumably being a lack of specific instruments. A total of 128 adult patients consecutively treated with multibracket appliances were contacted during the retention period. The response rate was 68 %. They were asked to complete both an emotional well-being test (Zerssen Mood Scale, Bf-S) and a 52-item orthodontic survey of OHRQoL, which we had developed based on the German version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-G14). The study demonstrated a high association of self-perceived apperance with OHRQoL and a strong role of the teeth and mouth. Aside from a few exceptions, the patients' responses in the survey did not reveal any significant gender-specific or age-specific differences. By contrast, patients in lower-than-normal spirits were found to also respond with significantly less favorable ratings to the survey items dealing with self-perceived overall attractiveness, facial attractivenss, and course of treatment. Dental appearance has a psychosocial impact on private and job-related interactions, which can increase the motivation of those affected to seek treament. Our orthodontic OHRQoL survey proved to be informative and practical. Findings that were especially striking included the patients' high acceptance of the changes induced by treatment and their high willingness to recommend such treatment to other adults.