Diagnosis and treatment of patients with craniofacial anomalies such as cleft lip and palate and skeletal malocclusions present a challenge to public health. Dentofacial abnormalities may be associated with depressive and anxiety disorders and poor quality of life.

The aim of this screening study was to evaluate and to compare the rates of anxiety and depression in cleft patients and non-cleft patients with skeletal malocclusions.

The study used psychometric method-HADS and State Trait Anxiety Inventory were used. The first group consisted of cleft patients, the second group consisted of non-cleft patients with skeletal Class II, Class III and anterior open bite malocclusions; the third group was control.

Study sample consists of 42 patients (33 females; 24 ± 7.2 years). In the 1st group, anxiety symptoms were detected in 34.7%; depression symptoms - in 17.2% of patients, high rates of reactive anxiety were registered in 35.8%. In the 2nd group, anxiety symptoms were detected in 29.6% of patients; depression symptoms - in 13,1% of patients, high rates of reactive anxiety were registered in 34.2%. In the 3rd group anxiety (18.7%) and depression (8.3%) symptoms and high rates of reactive anxiety (17.7%) were registered significantly less often than in 1st and 2nd groups (P < 0.005, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001 respectively).

Our data suggest that cleft-patients and non-cleft patients with skeletal malocclusions have statistically significant higher rates of anxiety and depression than controls and require orthodontic-surgical treatment that should be organized with the assistance of psychiatrist.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.