title: Orthodontic Treatment of Malocclusion and its Impact on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Malocclusion, though not life-threatening, has vast impact on individual's social interactions and self-esteem. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to assess whether orthodontic treatment of adolescents with malocclusion had any association with their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects for this study were recruited at a state-funded university clinic. Data were collected from 100 participants aged 17 to 21 with moderate to severe malocclusion. Experimental group comprised of 50 subjects who were in the retention phase of their orthodontic treatment and the control group comprised of 50 untreated subjects. The shortened version of the Oral Health Impacts Profile (OHIP-14) as used to assess the subjects' oral health-related impact. T-test, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann Whitney tests were used to analyze the data and p-value was set at P < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In general, oral health-related quality of life of all subjects significantly improved after orthodontic treatment. (p<0.001) Subjects with moderate malocclusion showed better improvement than severe malocclusion subjects. (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that oral health-related quality of life improves with the treatment of malocclusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Tehran Dental Branch, Center of Craniofacial Research, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abdolreza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jamilian
authors.affiliation: Departments of Orthodontics, Tehran Dental Branch, Islamic Azad University. Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Bita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kiaee
authors.affiliation: Departments of Orthodontics, Tehran Dental Branch, Islamic Azad University. Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shabnam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanayei
authors.affiliation: Department of Languages, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khosravi
authors.affiliation: Departments of Orthodontics, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perillo
keywords: Malocclusion; OHIP; OHRQoL; Orthodontic treatment; Quality of life