The Impact of Hypodontia on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of mild congenital hypodontia on oral healthrelated quality of life in children aged from 11-14 years by considering their own statements. Materials and Methods: One hundred and thirty 11to 14-year-old children were included in this crosssectional study. The control group (G-C) was composed of 65 patients without hypodontia and the hypodontia group (G-H) was composed of 65 patients with different numbers of missing teeth. After oral examination, children were asked to fill out the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ 11-14) to evaluate the oral health-related quality of life. The number/ numbers of missing teeth, the segment of missing teeth, and demographic data were recorded. The data were analyzed using Student's t-test, the chi square test, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The mean age of children that participated in this study was 12.5+1.07 (55% girls, 45% boys). A total of 117 teeth were missing in patients with hypodontia. The mean number of missing teeth in patients with hypodontia was 1.77±0.65. The mean oral health-related quality of life score of the groups was 36.3±16.7 for control group and 34.7±18.1 for hypodontia group ; the difference between the groups was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Significant correlation was not detected between the oral healthrelated quality of life and the number of missing teeth in patients with hypodontia (r=-0.008, p=0.95). Conclusion: Missing teeth had no impact on oral health-related quality of life in patients with mild hypodontia due to the small numbers of missing teeth in the experimental group.