Effects of severe dentoalveolar trauma on the quality‐of‐life of children and parents

Abstract

-Background/Aim: This investigation assessed the effects of dental trauma on the perception of pain and quality of life (QoL) of patient-parent pairs for a year following severe injuries. Sample: A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the pain of injury and treatment for 27 individuals 8-20 years and their parents. The Child Oral Health Quality of Life (COHQoL) survey was used to assess the effects of dental injuries on the QoL of 23 children aged 8-14 and their parents. Results: Mean VAS scores revealed that all patients and parents perceived the pain of initial injury to be significantly greater than pain of splint removal (P £ 0.05) and that pain decreased in a stepwise manner from injury through emergency treatment to splint removal. The COHQoL questionnaire demonstrated a profound and continuing effect on children and their parent's QoL following severe dental injury. The initial parental COHQoL score was significantly greater than the 12-month score (P £ 0.05) in both 8-10 and 11-14-year-olds. The COHQoL results indicated a measurable reduction in the QoL of patients and parents was still present 12-months after the injuries. At the end of one-year children were still affected by the social and well-being aspects of the injury yet parents exclusively reported that one-year effects were limited to their children's oral symptoms and functional limitations. Conclusions: Severe dental injuries produce initial and ongoing pain. Detrimental effects on the QoL of both children and parents are still present at one-year and these long-term effects are different for children and parents.

Oral health-related quality of life of children in relation to dental appearance and educational transition

“…The child's oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) was measured using a short form of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ [11][12][13][14]. 27 The Impact Short Form (ISF-16) CPQ [11][12][13][14] was developed through item impact methodology and is composed of 16 items comprising four oral health domains (oral symptoms, functional limitations, emotional well-being and social well-being). The participant is asked 'In the past few weeks how often have you [had/been item] because of your teeth or mouth?'…”

“…27 These findings are also consistent with previous research which has identified a number of different visible dental differences (eg malocclusion, dental trauma, severe fluorosis and hypodontia) that are associated with worse OHRQoL in children. 9,11,12,14,15,29,30 Of the OHRQoL domains, it was the impact on emotional and social well-being that was most noticeable. Again, this is consistent with earlier findings which suggest poor dental aesthetics may have a number of psychosocial impacts on children's OHRQoL.…”

“…The ability for a measure to reliably detect a difference in OHRQoL when one is actually present (its responsiveness to change), is a controversial issue. 32,33 While the ISF CPQ [11][12][13][14] measure has demonstrated substantial testretest reliability over short re-test periods (eg two-week intervals 27 ) it is possible that the CPQ could be vulnerable to measurement error over longer periods of time. It is also possible that OHRQoL may not be a stable construct.…”

“…The aim of this research was to investigate the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children in relation to the status of their permanent incisors, at a significant transitional stage in their childhood. Method Two hundred and sixteen patients of the Charles Clifford Dental Hospital, Sheffield, aged between 10 and 11 years, were sent an OHRQoL questionnaire (CPQ [11][12][13][14] ) three months before secondary school entry. Participants were categorised, according to clinical status, as having a visible dental difference (abnormal incisor aesthetics and/or orthodontic malocclusion) or no visible difference.…”

Childhood dental injuries: a resiliency model of adaptation

“…Berger et al (6) investigated the impacts of severe dental injuries (i.e. luxation or avulsion injuries) on children attending a dental hospital for treatment and found that 64% of children aged between eight and 10-years reported feeling concerned about what others thought about their mouth, 55% felt upset and 45% felt shy or embarrassed as a result of their dental injury.…”