Effects of Clear Aligner Therapy on Quality of Life and Anxiety Levels: An Exploratory Study in Patients With Disabilities

INTRODUCTION: Considering the orthodontic needs of individuals with disabilities and the potential impact of such treatments on both quality of life (QoL) and anxiety, this study aims to assess the effects of using clear aligner therapy (Invisalign) on QoL and anxiety levels in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients with malocclusion and disabilities were enrolled. Initial orthodontic examinations were performed, and questionnaires were administered to assess QoL and anxiety using the WHOQoL-BREF and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T), respectively, with assessments completed at baseline (T0), three months (T1), and six months (T2) after the start of therapy. The maximum sampling error was evaluated using Pearson's Coefficient of Variation. The normality of the sample distributions was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. For within-group comparisons across the three time points, Friedman's nonparametric test for paired samples was employed, with a post hoc 2-to-2 Pairwise Comparison test. The correlation between QoL and anxiety levels was evaluated with Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (p < 0.05). RESULTS: A statistically significant decrease was observed in the Environment domain at T2 compared to T0 and T1 (p = 0.0126), as well as a significant increase in the Overall Quality of Life domain from T1 to T2 (p = 0.0145). The correlation analysis revealed significant associations among the domains of the WHOQoL-BREF and STAI-T. CONCLUSIONS: An improvement in the overall quality of life among children and adolescents with disabilities was observed during clear aligner therapy; nonetheless, further controlled studies are needed to confirm this association.