The aim was to examine the relationship between orthodontic treatment need and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) among Lithuanian adolescents aged 11⁻18 across gender and age groups. A representative cross-sectional study of 911 adolescents aged 11⁻18 (mean (M) = 15.53; Standard Deviation (SD) = 1.52) was conducted in 26 public schools. The schoolchildren completed the Child Perceptions Questionnaire to evaluate their OHRQoL. The Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) was used to evaluate the severity of malocclusion. The strength of association between variables was evaluated via negative binomial regression estimating the ratio of sum score means (RSSM). A worse OHRQoL score was associated with a higher grade of IOTN; however, only the Emotional and Social wellbeing domains were significantly affected by malocclusion (RSSM = 1.158; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.083⁻1.237 and RSSM = 1.205; 95% CI: 1.114⁻1.304, respectively). The significant association was identified only among females (RSSM = 1.264; 95% CI: 1.176⁻1.359). A significant association was observed in all age groups for Emotional and Social well-being domains but only in the oldest age group for Oral Symptoms and Functional Limitations domains.
Conclusions: Malocclusion has a negative impact on the OHRQoL of young people with emotional and social aspects being the most affected. Girls and older adolescents suffered from malocclusion more than boys and their younger counterparts.
Keywords: Lithuania; adolescents; associations; child perception questionnaire; malocclusion; oral health-related quality of life; orthodontic treatment need.