A Survey To Evaluate Patients’ Acceptance To Various Fixed Functional Appliance

Abstract

Fixed functional appliances correct class II malocclusion by bringing the mandible forward into a new position. Patients using Fixed Functional Appliances complain of difficulty in oral hygiene, soft-tissue irritation, appliance breakage, and difficulty in mastication. Hence, the aim of this study was to conduct a survey evaluating patients’ acceptance of various fixed functional appliances in a university set up. This questionnaire-based study was a university-based setting which consisted of 10 closed-ended and open-ended questions out of which 2 were open-ended questions and 8 were close-ended. It covered discomfort, difficulty in speech, brushing, mastication, oral hygiene and fracture of the appliance. Descriptive statistics were performed. Chi-square test was used to determine the discomfort experienced due to the duration of wear. The significance level for the p-value was set at 0.05. Chi-square test reported that statistically, the insignificant association observed between duration of wear and level of discomfort (p>0.31). All functional appliances have their own disadvantages and discomfort, which is dependent on the intricate fabrication as well as their implementation. Within the limits of the study, it was observed that discomfort was more in the initial few days but reduced over a period of time as the patients got adapted to the appliance.