%0 Journal Article
%T Assessment of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Adolescents Wearing Aligners versus Adolescents Wearing Fixed Multibracket Appliances
%A Salma El Benna
%A Fran&#231
%A ois Tonamou
%A Reda Ghazzal
%A Meriem Bellamine
%A Hicham El Bouri
%A Ihsane Ben Yahya
%J Open Access Library Journal
%V 12
%N 11
%P 1-13
%@ 2333-9721
%D 2025
%I Open Access Library
%R 10.4236/oalib.1114398
%X <strong>Background: </strong>Oral health plays a vital role in general well-being, especially during adolescence, when physiological and psychosocial development is at its peak. Dental malocclusions can negatively affect oral function and self-esteem, leading to impaired oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). While orthodontic treatment aims to correct these issues, comparative evidence on how clear aligners versus fixed appliances affect adolescents¡¯ OHRQoL remains limited in Morocco. <strong>Objective:</strong> To compare the oral health-related quality of life among adolescents aged 14 - 18 years treated with clear aligners and those using fixed multi-bracket appliances. <strong>Methods:</strong> A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted between March and May 2025 in multiple dental centers, including the Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences Dental Care Center and several private clinics. A total of 100 adolescents (50 with clear aligners, 50 with fixed appliances) completed the validated <strong>Oral Health Impact Profile </strong><strong>(OHIP-1</strong><strong>4) </strong>questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using SPSS. Group comparisons were made with Student¡¯s t-test and Chi-square tests, with significance set at P &lt; 0.05. Ethical approval was obtained from the UM6SS Ethics Committee, and informed consent was collected from participants and their guardians. <strong>Results:</strong> Adolescents treated with clear aligners reported significantly lower OHIP-14 mean scores (9.92 ¡À 2.49) compared to those with fixed appliances (30.92 ¡À 2.79, P &lt; 0.01), indicating a better OHRQoL. Across all seven OHIP-14 dimensions, clear aligner users scored lower, with the most notable differences observed in functional limitation, physical pain, psychological discomfort, and social disability. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Clear aligners were associated with a significantly more favorable oral health-related quality of life among Moroccan adolescents compared to fixed appliances. These findings highlight the psychosocial and functional advantages of aligner therapy and emphasize the importance of incorporating quality-of-life outcomes in orthodontic treatment planning.<br />
%K Quality of Life
%K OHIP-14
%K Adolescents
%K Aligners
%K Multi-Attachments
%U http://www.oalib.com/paper/6877258