Abstract
The literature contains contradictory evidence on the association between malocclusion and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in different populations. OHRQoL is a multi-dimensional construct that comprises a subjective assessment of how an individual 's oral health impacts their comfort, functional, psychological, social well-being and overall quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between gender, age, malocclusion severity and OHRQoL in Saudi patients seeking orthodontic treatment at the King Saud University Dental Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was done on a random sample of 108 orthodontic patients aged 14-25 years. The orthodontic treatment needs of each participant were assessed using the Dental Health Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Needs (IOTN-DC). While, the oral heath quality of life was evaluated by asking the participant to complete the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire. The participants generally had good OHRQoL. No association was found between their OHIP-14 scores and IOTN-DC grades. The oral health quality of life of participants with "borderline treatment needs" was strongly affected by psychological disability and psychological discomfort. In particular, Females with 'borderline need of treatment' showed positive impact on oral health than males. Overall, malocclusion did not have a major impact on OHRQoL. This study found that malocclusion had no discernible detrimental effects on OHRQoL and its domains.