Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Young Adolescent Orthodontic Cleft Patients
Pattamawan Konan DDS*, Montian Manosudprasit DDS, MDS*, Poonsak Pisek DDS, MS*, Araya Pisek DDS**, Tasanee Wangsrimongkol DDS, MS, PhD*
Affiliation : * Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand ** Department of Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Objective : To evaluate and compare the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Thai patients with cleft lip and palate
and to evaluate parents’ and their children’s perceptions.
Material and Method: Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) questionnaire was used to evaluate OHRQoL of the
patients and parents’ perceptions of patients’ OHRQoL. The subjects consisted of 140 cleft patients (aged 8-15 years) and
their parents who visited the Department of Orthodontics, Khon Kaen University.
Results : COHIP scores in cleft patients were relatively high. No statistically significant differences were found for overall and
subscales COHIP scores between gender and age groups (aged 8-11 and 12-15 years) of patients. Comparison among cleft
types, overall COHIP and functional well-being subscales scores showed statistically significant differences (p = 0.01 and p
= 0.002, respectively). Cleft lip with or without alveolus (CL/A) had higher overall and functional well-being subscale scores
than unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate patients (CLP). Only self-image subscale scores were statistically significant
differences between patients and parents at p<0.001.
Conclusion : Young and adolescent patients with cleft lip and palate had generally positive oral health-related quality of life.
Impacts of gender and age of patients on OHRQoL were similar. CL/A patients had more positive in overall oral health-
related quality of life and functional well-being domains than CLP patients did. Parents had higher perceptions of self-image
shown by their children than the children themselves.
Keywords : Cleft lip and palate, Oral health-related quality of life, Child Oral Health Impact Profile
