# Orofacial Features, Oral Health-Related Quality of Life, and Exposure to Bullying in Osteogenesis Imperfecta: A Cross-Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study explores how dental issues and bullying affect the quality of life of children with osteogenesis imperfecta compared to a control group.

## Contribution

The study links dental malocclusion severity to oral health-related quality of life and bullying in pediatric osteogenesis imperfecta patients.

## Key findings

- Patients with severe OI had more anterior and posterior openbites and dentinogenesis imperfecta compared to those with mild or moderate OI.
- Self-perceived oral health-related quality of life was negatively impacted in OI patients, especially in oral health and self-image domains.
- OI patients were more likely to be teased face-to-face and online compared to the control group, though bullying exposure was not significantly different overall.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic disease that is responsible for bone fragility, but also for dental malocclusions and dentinogenesis imperfecta (DI). The aim of this study was to assess whether the severity of dental malocclusion influenced the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and exposure to bullying in a paediatric OI population compared with a control group. Methods: Dental and occlusal characteristics were noted during oral and radiographic examination. The severity of malocclusion was assessed using the PAR index. P-CPQ, COHIP(34), and BCS-A questionnaires were used to evaluate, respectively, externally and self-perceived OHRQoL and bullying. Results: We included 39 patients with a mean age of 11.3 (±4.8 SD) in the OI group, and 45 patients with a mean age of 12.3 (±3.2 SD) in the control group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of occlusal vertical and transverse dimensions. Patients with severe OI, presenting with bone fractures, bones deformities, and short stature, had significantly more anterior (p < 0.05) and posterior openbites (p < 0.05) and more DI (p < 0.05) compared to patients who had moderate or mild OI. Self-perceived OHRQoL was negatively impacted by the disease (p = 0.01), particularly in the domains of oral health (p < 0.05) and self-image (p < 0.001), but not by its severity. Exposure to bullying did not differ significantly between the two groups, although more patients with OI reported being teased (21.4% face to face and 7.1% online vs. 14.6% and 2.4% in the control group). Conclusion: Interventions for dental malocclusion and oral health in OI patients would help to improve their quality of life and self-image.