Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41491866›Full record

ArticleBMC psychology2026

Association between Clark twin block appliance treatment and social and emotional wellness in children with malocclusion - a cohort study.

Rizwan Khalil, Hassan Yaqoob, Muhammad Raif Ilyas, Rashna Hoshang Sukhia, Mubassar Fida

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Rizwan KhalilDepartment of Dentistry and Oral Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
Hassan YaqoobDepartment of Dentistry and Oral Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
Muhammad Raif IlyasDepartment of Dentistry and Oral Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
Rashna Hoshang SukhiaDepartment of Dentistry and Oral Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. rashna.aga@aku.edu.
Mubassar FidaDepartment of Dentistry and Oral Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionClass II malocclusion is common among adolescents and can negatively affect aesthetics, self-esteem, and social interactions. Myofunctional appliances like the Clark twin block aid in correcting jaw discrepancies during growth. Traditional clinical assessments often overlook psychosocial outcomes, which can be captured through patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) such as the Child Perception Questionnaire (CPQ). This study evaluates the association between Clark twin block appliance therapy and social and emotional wellness in children, addressing a gap in patient-centered orthodontic care in Pakistan.

methodsThis cohort study, approved by the Ethical Review Committee (ERC) and adhering to STROBE guidelines, involved 56 children treated with Clark’s Twin Block appliance at Aga Khan University Hospital. Patients aged 13–17 years at Cervical Vertebral Maturation (CVM) stages 3 or 4, compliant with the appliance, were included; those with anomalies or communication issues were excluded. Pre- and post-treatment social and emotional impacts were assessed using the prevalidated CPQ, administered after the completion of Clark Twin Block appliance treatment. Data analysis via SPSS employed paired t-tests/Wilcoxon tests, with p < 0.05 considered significant.

resultsThe study included 56 participants: 27 males (48.2%) and 29 females (51.8%), with median ages of 13 (IQR: 13–14) and 14 years (IQR: 13–15), respectively. A positive association was found between the intervention and improved emotional and social wellness. Emotional wellness scores decreased from a median of 7.5 to 3 (p < 0.001), and social wellness scores from 1.5 to 0 (p < 0.001). Gender-based comparisons showed no significant differences, indicating equal effectiveness for both genders.

conclusionsInterceptive orthodontic treatment with Clark’s Twin Block is positively associated with social and emotional wellness in children with malocclusion. It reduces distress, frustration, and shyness while boosting confidence in social interactions and school activities. The study emphasizes using PROMs to assess clinical and psychosocial outcomes, promoting patient-centered orthodontic care.

Indexed as

Malocclusion, Angle Class IIOrthodontic Appliances, FunctionalAdolescentCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMalePsychological Well-BeingChild perception questionnairesClark’s twin block applianceFunctional applianceOral health- related quality of life (OHRQoL)Skeletal class II malocclusionSocial and emotional wellness

Identifiers

PMID41491866
PMCPMC12870076

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.