Effect of Medium- and Long-Term Complications of Traumatic Dental Injuries on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life of Children and Adolescents.

Aim

To evaluate the impact of medium- and long-term complications of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in children and adolescents using the Child Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (COIDP) tool.

Methods

A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among children aged 8-18 years, presenting with medium- and long-term complications of traumatic injuries to permanent teeth at a tertiary care center. Clinical and radiographic assessments were performed to identify the complications. OHRQoL was assessed using a regionally validated version of the COIDP questionnaire through face-to-face interviews. Impacts across eight daily performance domains were recorded using 13 questions and analyzed descriptively. Associations between specific complications and COIDP domains were evaluated using the Chi-square test, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

Results

A total of 185 participants were included. The most frequent medium- and long-term complications were periapical radiolucency (90.3%) and pulp necrosis (77.1%), followed by external inflammatory root resorption (69.3%). Symptom-related impacts, particularly awareness of decayed or broken teeth and concerns regarding tooth color, shape, size, or position, were reported by a majority of participants across most complications. Pain-related symptoms were significantly associated with tenderness on percussion and pulp necrosis. Functional impacts were most evident in the domains of eating and relaxing, especially among children with gingival inflammation, periapical pathology, and inflammatory root resorption. Psychosocial domains, emotional wellbeing, and schoolwork were minimally impacted.

Conclusion

Medium- and long-term complications of TDI are associated with significant impairments in oral health-related quality of life among children and adolescents. Symptom-related impacts and functional limitations, particularly those affecting eating and relaxation, were prominent. The complications that manifested clinically in the form of discoloration, tenderness on percussion, inflammation of labial gingiva, and pulp necrosis, along with the radiographic signs of external inflammatory root resorption and periapical radiolucency, showed associations with the impacts on daily performances.