Impact of BMI on patients oral health and patients co-operation undergoing fixed orthodontic mechanotherapy

Abstract

Over the last decades, overweight and obesity has become a problem in the economically developed world. The increasing number of overweight adults is alarming. During orthodontic therapy with fixed appliances, the development of white spot lesions (WSLs) is a relatively common negative side-effect. Concerning oral health, some evidence exists that there might be an association between overweight and an increased caries risk in children, but this relationship is not unambiguous. Therefore, the aim of this retrospective, explorative study was to compare normal, overweight, and obese orthodontic patients undergoing fixed appliance therapy. Therefore, it was concluded that an increased BMI appears to be a risk factor for less cooperation, a longer treatment duration, and more oral health-related problems during MB treatment, indicating that these patients require special attention during orthodontic therapy.