Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate whether statistically significant differences exist regarding pain and the impact on oral quality of life of orthodontic treatment. A conventional brackets system was compared with low-friction brackets. A total of 90 patients (male = 35, female = 55) were chosen for this randomized clinical trial. Pain was assessed at 4, 8, and 24 hours and 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days after the start of treatment using the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) was assessed using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire. Oral quality of life was assessed at one month, with patients with low-friction brackets describing lower levels of pain. The patients with conventional brackets indicated a worse impact on their quality of life compared to the group with low-friction brackets. Statistically significant differences were found between the groups, with maximum pain observed between the first 24 and 48 hours, and the values of minimum pain are reached after 7 days. The pain and impact on oral quality of life was statistically worse in patients with conventional brackets compared to patients with low-friction brackets. The type of bracket system used was therefore shown to influence patients’ perceptions of pain and impact on their OHRQoL.
Highlights
Orthodontics is a dental specialty that has rapidly developed over recent decades
This randomized clinical trial aimed to evaluate whether two bracket systems influenced patient pain perception and oral quality of life, as well as the effect of the use of a lubricating gel (Orthospeed®) on the same descriptors
In agreement with the findings of this study, some published reports [22,23,24] concluded that patients undergoing orthodontic treatment described maximum pain peaks between the first 24 and 48 hours after treatment, and that the level of pain decreased from this point onwards until reaching minimum values after seven days
Summary
Orthodontics is a dental specialty that has rapidly developed over recent decades It deals with the correction of dental malocclusions and maxillary bone alterations through the application of forces that produce tooth movement [1]. During this process, various chemical mediators are released and give rise to the perception of pain that patients describe during their treatment [1,2]. The pain described by patients may appear spontaneously, due to the force applied to the teeth in order for them to move, or as a consequence of functional processes, such as chewing [7] This pain has a negative effect on patients’ desire to undergo orthodontic treatment and on their subsequent willingness to adhere to instructions [8]
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