Abstract
BackgroundFixed orthodontic appliances (FOA) temporarily interfere with periodontal health of patients, as the appliance complicates oral hygiene. The use of aligners in orthodontic therapy increased strongly during the last decade. In the literature, the reports about effects of aligner treatment on oral hygiene and gingival conditions are scarce. This cross-sectional study evaluated oral hygiene and patient’s satisfaction during orthodontic treatment of patients with FOA or Invisalign®.Methods100 patients (FOA = 50, Invisalign® = 50) were included who underwent orthodontic treatment for more than 6 months. Clinical examinations were performed to evaluate patients’ periodontal condition and were compared with clinical data at the beginning of the orthodontic treatment. Oral hygiene, patients’ satisfaction and dietary habits were documented by a detailed questionnaire. For statistical analysis, the Mann–Whitney U-Test and Fisher’s Exact Test were used; as multiple testing was applied, a Bonferroni correction was performed.ResultsAt the time of clinical examinations, patients with FOA were in orthodontic therapy for 12.9 ± 7.2 months, whereas patients with Invisalign® were in orthodontic therapy for 12.6 ± 7.4 months. Significantly better gingival health conditions were recorded in Invisalign® patients (GI: 0.54 ± 0.50 for FOA versus 0.35 ± 0.34 for Invisalign®; SBI: 15.2 ± 7.6 for FOA versus 7.6 ± 4.1 for Invisalign®), whereas the amount of dental plaque was also less but not significantly different (API: 37.7 % ± 21.9 for FOA versus 27.8 % ± 24.6 for Invisalign®). The evaluation of the questionnaire showed greater patients’ satisfaction in patients treated with Invisalign® than with FOA.ConclusionPatients treated with Invisalign® have a better periodontal health and greater satisfaction during orthodontic treatment than patients treated with FOA.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12903-015-0060-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Fixed orthodontic appliances (FOA) temporarily interfere with periodontal health of patients, as the appliance complicates oral hygiene
Fixed orthodontic appliances (FOA) promote the accumulation of bacterial plaque because FOA limit the ability of patients to perform good oral hygiene, which can lead to temporary destructive periodontal processes [1,2,3,4]
Orthodontic treatment was performed for 12.9 ± 7.2 months in FOA patients and 12.6 ± 7.4 months in Invisalign® patients at the time of the screening visit (Table 1)
Summary
Fixed orthodontic appliances (FOA) temporarily interfere with periodontal health of patients, as the appliance complicates oral hygiene. The reports about effects of aligner treatment on oral hygiene and gingival conditions are scarce. This cross-sectional study evaluated oral hygiene and patient’s satisfaction during orthodontic treatment of patients with FOA or Invisalign®. Fixed orthodontic appliances (FOA) promote the accumulation of bacterial plaque because FOA limit the ability of patients to perform good oral hygiene, which can lead to temporary destructive periodontal processes [1,2,3,4]. Other orthodontic techniques have been developed to increase esthetics and simplify oral hygiene procedures. An alternative for FOA is Invisalign® which has been available since 1999 and offers the advantage of better esthetics and the convenience of removal during food and beverage consumption, as well as oral care.
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