Investigation on the prevalence of malocclusion and analysis of oral health-related quality of life in children aged 6-12 years in Jinzhou

Abstract Background Malocclusion can present a variety of clinical forms and manifestations, which affect children's oral health and lead to psychological problems.However, among children in Jinzhou, there are few reports on the prevalence of malocclusion and the effect of malocclusion on oral health-related quality of life. Methods A total of 2162 children aged 6−12 years were randomly selected from various districts of Jinzhou. Conventional clinical examination was performed by stomatologists, and the results were described based on the Angle malocclusion classification. Further, questionnaires survey completed by children’s parents or guardians provided the demographic data, life style, and oral habits. Results The incidence of malocclusion in children aged 6 to 12 in Jinzhou was 67.90%, including 1129 males and 1033 females, accounting for 52.22% and 47.78% of males and females, respectively.According to Angle's classification, the incidence of Angle Ⅰ, Angle Ⅱ and Angle Ⅲ malocclusion was 46.48%, 8.14% and 12.03%, respectively.If classified according to clinical symptoms, the most common type is dentition crowding, with an incidence of 71.79%.Common risk factors include heredity, bad oral habits and so on. In addition, malocclusion has a negative effect on oral health-related quality of life of children aged 6–12 years in Jinzhou. Conclusions The prevalence rate of malocclusion in 6-12-year-old children in Jinzhou is high, children and parents have weak awareness of oral health care. In addition,heredity and bad oral habits are common risk factors for malocclusion. Malocclusion has a negative effect on children's oral health-related quality of life.