Orthodontic Treatment Process Research Articles

Evaluation of tooth size in patients with congenitally-missing teeth.

Background and aims Hypodontia is a common developmental abnormality of dentition. This study aimed to determine tooth width in patients affected with mild hypodontia and compare the results with a control group without tooth agenesis. Materials and methods The orthodontic records of 25 patients with congenital missing of one or two teeth (hypodontia group), and 25 subjects with full dentition (control group) were selected. The greatest mesiodistal width of each tooth was measured on the study models by a digital caliper. Tooth width measurements were compared between the groups using a student t-test at p < 0.05 of significance. Results Patients with hypodontia showed narrower teeth than the control subjects. The differences in tooth size between the two groups were statistically significant for the first and second premolars and first molar in the maxillary right and for the second premolar in the maxillary left quadrants (p < 0.05). In the lower arch, the first and second premolars and also first molar in both sides of hypodontia patients demonstrated significant reduction in tooth size compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion These findings suggest that patients with mild hypodontia have narrower teeth than normal subjects especially in posterior segments, which may have clinical implications during the orthodontic treatment process.

Dentofacial characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

The aims of this study are to evaluate the dentofacial morphology of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to compare the morphological data with those of healthy age- and sex-matched control subjects. Twenty-seven RA patients (mean age, 45.77 ± 8.64 years) and 25 healthy subjects (mean age, 44.80 ± 8.24 years) participated in this prospective study. Clinical and functional evaluations of the RA patients were assessed. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein level, rheumatoid factor level, and anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) titers of RA patients were determined, and DAS28 scores were calculated. Linear and angular measurements were performed on cephalometric tracings and condylar erosion was evaluated on lateral panoramic radiographs. Statistical comparison of the two groups was performed with an independent samples t test. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between the clinical and laboratory parameters. Based on DAS28 scores, no patient with RA was in the remission period, 3 patients had low, 23 had medium, and 1 had high disease activity. Sixteen (59.26 %) patients with RA had positive ACPA titers. Lateral cephalometric radiographs revealed statistically significant difference between the two groups for the measurement of U1-NA (millimeter; p = 0.047), U1-NA (degrees; p = 0.031), L1-NB (degrees; p = 0.030), IMPA (L1-MP; p = 0.001), interincisal angle (U1-L1; degrees; p = 0.022) and midface length (Co-A; millimeter; p = 0.033). A significant positive linear correlation was found between disease duration time and DAS28 scores (r = 0.066, p = 0.040). Dentoalveolar effects of RA on dentofacial morphology are more significant than the skeletal effects. Future studies with larger sample sizes are required to evaluate the exact effects of RA on dentofacial morphology. Clinicians should consider the fact that RA-associated dentoalveolar changes can be observed and may affect the orthodontic treatment process.

Piloting a Patient-based Questionnaire to Assess Patient Satisfaction with the Process of Orthodontic Treatment

To test the scientific properties of a patient-based questionnaire developed to measure adolescent patient's satisfaction with the process of orthodontic treatment. Forty-nine consecutive patients aged 9 to 17 years undergoing orthodontic treatment were asked to complete the questionnaire on two separate occasions. Test-retest reliability, readability, ease of administration, criterion validity, and construct validity were tested. All patients answered the questionnaire at time 1 and took part in the construct validity study. Ten patients took part in an ease of administration study and 17 patients took part in the criterion validity study. Thirty-one patients completed the questionnaire at time 2, giving a response rate of 63.3%. The test-retest reliability was excellent in one section, moderate in six sections, and poor in one. The questionnaire had a Flesch Reading Score of 79.8, equivalent to a reading age of 10 years and was easily administered in 5 to 15 minutes. Although the construct validity of the questionnaire was excellent in five of the six measures and moderate in the other, the criterion validity was poor for 7 of the 14 items selected to test. This pilot study demonstrates the need to test a questionnaire before use in audit or research.

Indikator Kebutuhan Perawatan Ortodonsia (IKPO) sebagai Instrumen Perencanaan Pelayanan Ortodonsia

Children are a nation's greatest inheritance shaping the country's future. In Indonesia, it is estimated that almost 40% of the population or around 85 million are children who are in their developing years. One of a parents' roles is to observe that their children's dental structure is growing suitably for their gae. Most parents have a concern that their children have (or will have) a malocclusion or malposition caused by combined features of disharmony in their teeth. Such a disharmony will affect the overall facial structure developemnt process, e.g. in the jaw, facial bones and soft tissues such as lips, cheeks and even the tonue. Should each condition occur on a chiled, it may have a negative psychological effect on a growing child, such as causing low self-esteem. A child's dental development needs parents' special attention as it concerns their overall dental health. On the other hand, many parents do not have proper knowledge of the normal dental growth/development. In case of abnormal development the parents should at least know whether or not their child needs orthodontic care. With the Orthodontic Treatment Needs Indicator (OCNI) the parents can easily determine at an early stage whether or not the child needs to have an orthodontic treatment. The OCNI involves a set of questions to parents and child regarding the child's dental development, and has a simple self-assessment-based scoring with the help of a denist as consultant. An OCNI score intends to achieve a better orthodontic treatment process for the potential patient, to improve the quality of the child's dental health and to achieve healthy and productive teeth.

Measuring orthodontic treatment satisfaction: questionnaire development and preliminary validation.

The aims of this study were to develop a reliable self-report measure of consumer satisfaction with orthodontic treatment, and to preliminarily assess its validity. Transcripts of qualitative interviews with patients, their parents, and practicing orthodontists together with items from existing dental satisfaction questionnaires were used to develop a pool of 41 items assessing satisfaction with various aspects of orthodontic care. These items were paired with five-point Likert scales (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree) and were administered to 299 parents of children who had completed orthodontic treatment at two university-based clinics. Factor analyses and reliability analyses identified three main subscales with high reliabilities: 13 items assessing satisfaction with treatment process (Cronbach's alpha = .92), seven items assessing satisfaction with psychosocial effects of treatment (Cronbach's alpha = .87), and five items assessing satisfaction with overall treatment outcome (Cronbach's alpha = .79). Relationships among these three subscales and pre- and posttreatment variables were examined in a subset of 86 parents/patients. Forward stepwise regression with backward overlook revealed no significant relationships between any satisfaction subscale and demographic variables. Posttreatment overjet was inversely related to parental satisfaction with orthodontic treatment process (R2 = .13; P < .001), and parent satisfaction with treatment outcome (R2 = .28; P < .0001). Improvement in esthetics as measured by improvement in IOTN Aesthetic Component scores was positively related to satisfaction with psychosocial outcomes (R2 = .28; P < .0001). The present instrument is reliable and can be used to assess three dimensions of parental satisfaction with their child's orthodontic treatment. Relationships between visible orthodontic outcome variables and parent satisfaction provide preliminary validity support for the instrument.

Understanding orthodontic treatment satisfaction from the patients' perspective: a qualitative approach.

To apply qualitative research methods to develop hypotheses about orthodontic treatment process and outcome, as well as treatment satisfaction. Four focused interviews with 4-8 adolescents in retention. UNC orthodontic clinic; 22 patients in retention. Patients expressed dissatisfaction with some aspects of the treatment process, but were generally satisfied with the treatment outcome. Patients were aware of differences between clinic versus private treatment. From these discussions, we infer that there may be important differences between patients' and orthodontists' perceptions of the treatment process. Qualitative methods are useful tools for exploring orthodontic treatment from the patients' perspective and can be used to suggest important future areas of research.