title: Impact of traumatic dental injuries and malocclusions on quality of life of young children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The presence of traumatic dental injuries and malocclusions can have a negative impact on quality of life of young children and their parents, affecting their oral health and well-being. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of traumatic dental injuries and anterior malocclusion traits on the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of children between 2 and 5 years-old.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents of 260 children answered the six domains of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) on their perception of the OHRQoL (outcome). Two calibrated dentists assessed the types of traumatic dental injuries (Kappa = 0.9) and the presence of anterior malocclusion traits (Kappa = 1.0). OHRQoL was measured using the ECOHIS. Poisson regression was used to associate the type of traumatic dental injury and the presence of anterior malocclusion traits to the outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of anterior malocclusion traits did not show a negative impact on the overall OHRQoL mean or in each domain. Only complicated traumatic dental injuries showed a negative impact on the symptoms (p = 0.005), psychological (p = 0.029), self image/social interaction (p = 0.004) and family function (p = 0.018) domains and on the overall OHRQoL mean score (p = 0.002). The presence of complicated traumatic dental injuries showed an increased negative impact on the children's quality of life (RR = 1.89; 95% CI = 1.36, 2.63; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complicated traumatic dental injuries have a negative impact on the OHRQoL of preschool children and their parents, but anterior malocclusion traits do not.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Dental School, University of São Paulo-USP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Janaina M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Aldrigui
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abanto
authors.forename: Thiago S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Fausto M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Marcia T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Wanderley
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bönecker
authors.forename: Daniela P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Raggio
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000523:psychology*; D009055:Mouth / Q000293:injuries*; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires