Effects of severe dentoalveolar trauma on the quality-of-life of children and parents.

Background/aim: This investigation assessed the effects of dental trauma on the perception of pain and quality of life (QoL) of patient-parent pairs for a year following severe injuries.

Sample: A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the pain of injury and treatment for 27 individuals 8-20 years and their parents. The Child Oral Health Quality of Life (COHQoL) survey was used to assess the effects of dental injuries on the QoL of 23 children aged 8-14 and their parents.

Results: Mean VAS scores revealed that all patients and parents perceived the pain of initial injury to be significantly greater than pain of splint removal (P < or = 0.05) and that pain decreased in a stepwise manner from injury through emergency treatment to splint removal. The COHQoL questionnaire demonstrated a profound and continuing effect on children and their parent's QoL following severe dental injury. The initial parental COHQoL score was significantly greater than the 12-month score (P < or = 0.05) in both 8-10 and 11-14- year-olds. The COHQoL results indicated a measurable reduction in the QoL of patients and parents was still present 12-months after the injuries. At the end of one-year children were still affected by the social and well-being aspects of the injury yet parents exclusively reported that one-year effects were limited to their children's oral symptoms and functional limitations.

Conclusions: Severe dental injuries produce initial and ongoing pain. Detrimental effects on the QoL of both children and parents are still present at one-year and these long-term effects are different for children and parents.