Objective: To compare the prevalence, intensity, and extent of condition-specific oral impacts on quality of life attributed to malocclusion by Brazilian adolescents with normal occlusion and those with Angle Class I, II, and III malocclusion.
Materials and methods: Four groups of 55 adolescents were configured such that each group represented normal occlusion, as well as Angle Class I, II, and III malocclusion. No radiographs were taken. Adolescents aged 15 to 16 years were selected from those attending all secondary schools in Bauru (Sao Paulo, Brazil). The Oral Impacts on Daily Performances index was used to collect data on condition-specific impacts (CSIs) attributed to malocclusion. The prevalence, as well as the intensity and extent, of CSIs was compared among the four groups with the use of Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests, respectively.
Results: Groups were comparable according to sex, age, and socioeconomic status. The prevalence of CSI was significantly different between groups (P = .039). Class II and III malocclusion groups reported a higher prevalence of CSI than those with normal occlusion and Class I malocclusion. However, the intensity and extent of CSI were not significantly different between groups.
Conclusions: The prevalence, but not the intensity and extent, of CSIs attributed to malocclusion differed among groups with different malocclusions. The present findings support the concept that malocclusion has physical, psychological, and social effects on quality of life.