Impact of orthodontic treatment on adolescents' quality of life: a longitudinal evaluation of treated and untreated individuals

Purpose To assess the impact of fixed appliance therapy on the quality of life of a cohort of Brazilian adolescents. Methods The treatment group was composed of individuals who started orthodontic treatment. The control group was composed of individuals not selected for immediate treatment. Adolescents answered the Brazilian short form of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ₁₁₋₁₄). Higher scores indicate a greater negative impact on quality of life. Adolescents in the treatment group completed four sets of interviews: prior to appliances' bonding (T1), 1 month (T2), 6 months (T3) and 12 months (T4) after appliances' placement. Adolescents in the control group were assigned to a comparable schedule. Statistics included inter-group comparisons, Friedman and Wilcoxon tests, and mixed-effects models. Results In the treatment group, the functional limitation score was higher at T1 (p=0.004) and T2 (p=0.007) compared to T4. The emotional well-being score was higher at T1 compared to T2 (p