The impact of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate on oral health-related quality of life.

Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL±P) compromises oral health, leading to missing or malformed teeth, and hampering oral hygiene. Apart from anatomic damages, NSCL±P also culminates in an impact on the routine quality of life with social privation and psychological embarrassment.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of NSCL±P on oral health-related quality of life.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was classified as exploratory and descriptive, with quantitative approach. Patients with NSCL±P treated between August 2013 and September 2014 at the Cleft Lip and Palate Integral Care Center (CAIF), Curitiba, Brazil, were invited to participate. Age and sex-related data were collected, as well as level of education, financial income, type of orofacial cleft, use of orthodontic and prosthetic appliances, and number of previous orofacial surgeries. Selected patients were asked to answer the Oral Impact on Daily Performance (OIDP) questionnaire designed to measure the impact of oral health on daily performances.

RESULTS: The sample was composed of 103 (44.59%) women and 128 (55.41%) men, with mean age of 19.74 ± 10.20 (7-65) years. The OIDP values ranged from 1 to 175 in 114 (49.35%) patients (mean: 22.38), whereas 117 patients (50.65%) presented total OIDP value equal to zero. High negative impact of NSCL±P on daily performances was detected when associated with the female sex (p=0.037). Daily performances related to phonetics (OIDP2; 2.63) and aesthetics (OIDP5; 2.48) presented the highest average values when compared to other daily performances, except OIDP6. The main symptoms and reported oral problems comprised the aesthetic dissatisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of the patients evaluated in this study showed negative impact of NSCL±P in the performance of daily activities.