A prospective randomized split-mouth study on pain experience during chairside archwire manipulation in self-ligating and conventional brackets

The Influence of Friction on Design of the Type of Bracket and Its Relation to OHRQoL in Patients Who Use Multi-Bracket Appliances: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of friction on design of the type of bracket, patients’ perception of pain and the impact on their oral health-related quality of life. Materials and Methods: A randomized clinical trial was carried out with 90 patients (62.2% women and 37.8% men) with three kinds of fixed multi-bracket appliances: Conventional (GC), fixed multi-bracket low friction (GS) and self-ligating (GA). The VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) was used to determine pain during the first seven days of treatment at different points in time. The patients were also given the OHIP-14 (Oral Health Impact Profile) questionnaire to analyse their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) after the first 30 days of treatment. The ANOVA test was used for the analysis of the variables and the post hoc Bonferroni test for the comparison between groups. Results: Maximum pain was observed between one and two days after the start of treatment. The GC group showed the greatest degree of pain, with maximum values (4.5 ± 2.0) at 24 h. The self-ligation brackets show lower impact on patients’ oral health-related quality of life (0.8 ± 2.2, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Friction in the type of bracket influences pain and the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life of patients who use multi-bracket fixed orthodontics.

Pain and Oral-Health-Related Quality of Life in Orthodontic Patients During Initial Therapy with Conventional, Low-Friction, and Lingual Brackets and Aligners (Invisalign): A Prospective Clinical Study

The aim of this study was to compare pain and its relationship with the oral quality of life of patients with different types of orthodontic appliances: conventional and conventional low-friction brackets, lingual brackets, and aligners. A prospective clinical study was carried out with a sample size of 120 patients (54 men, 66 women) divided into 4 groups of 30 patients each. The modified McGill questionnaire was used to measure pain at 4, 8, and 24 h and 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days after the start of treatment, and the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire was used to measure the oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in the first month of treatment. The maximum peak of pain was obtained between 24 and 48 h of treatment. It was found that patients in the lingual orthodontic group described lower levels of pain at all times analyzed, and their scores in the total OHIP-14 indicated less impact on their oral quality of life (1.3 ± 1.2, p < 0.01) compared with the other groups analyzed. There was little difference with the aligners group (Invisalign) (1.7 ± 1.9, p < 0.01). The technique used influences the pain and quality of life of patients at the start of orthodontic treatment.

Comparison of pain levels in patients treated with 3 different orthodontic appliances - a randomized trial

Background and aims

To compare pain levels experienced during initial alignment with three different orthodontic appliance types and to correlate pain with male and female differences, if any.

Methods

A prospective, randomized 3-arm parallel trial allocated 36 adult orthodontic patients into three appliance groups: MBT 0.022" slot (Mini Twin, Ormco, Glendora, USA), self ligating 0.022" slot Damon 3MX (Ormco, Glendora, USA) and clear aligners (Smile align, Mumbai, India). The level of discomfort was assessed through a questionnaire based on the visual analogue scale at four hours, twenty four hours, third and seventh day after appliance placement.

Results

Patients treated with clear aligners reported less pain than patients treated with conventional and self ligating fixed appliances. Patients treated with MBT conventional appliances showed greater pain levels than Damon appliances. A significantly higher visual analogue scale score was observed at 24 hours and the least visual analogue scale scores on the seventh day post appliance placement.

Conclusion

During the first week of orthodontic treatment, patients treated with clear aligners reported lower pain than those treated with conventional and self-ligating appliances.

Micro-osteo perforation effects as an intervention on canine retraction

Objective

To evaluate the rate of canine retraction, mesial movement of molar and pain perception in maxillary first premolar extraction patients with or without flapless cortical perforations (FCPs).

Methods

Thirty adult patients with class II div I malocclusion were randomly allocated with the help of SPSS software to either perforation or conventional group for carrying out this randomized parallel group-controlled trial in 1:1 ratio. Maxillary first premolars were extracted and after canine retraction, distance between the tip of the canine and midpoint of incisal edge and the distance between the cervical midpoints on the height of contour of respective cinguli was measured. Also, mesial movement of molar and pain perception were assessed in both groups. Three bilateral cortical FCP of 1.5 mm diameter were made in the perforation group. Data were analyzed with the help of SPSS software with an intention-to-treat the FCP approach.

Results

Significant canine retraction in patients with FCP (mean retraction of 6.68 ± 0.60 [measured at crown tip level] and 5.97 ± 0.71 mm [measured at mid cervical level]) was revealed, while patients with conventional mechanics had mean retraction of 2.54 ± 0.49 and 2.33 ± 0.46 mm. Mesial movement of molar also showed significant difference (FCP = 0.48 ± 0.11 mm and Conventional = 0.65 ± 0.19 mm). Pain perception in control group was significantly lower in day 1 and 2.

Conclusion

FCPs are an effective method of accelerating the rate of canine retractions by 2–3 fold of tooth movement, however, pain perception was high in day 1 and 2.

Pain perception among patients treated with passive self-ligating fixed appliances and Invisalign® aligners during the first week of orthodontic treatment

Objective

This study was performed to compare the perception of pain between patients treated with passive self-ligating fixed appliances and those treated with Invisalign aligners.

Methods

This prospective study conducted in Saudi Arabia used an estimated sample of 64 patients from a private dental clinic. After obtaining written informed consent, the patients were divided into two groups; one group (n = 32) was treated using passive self-ligating fixed appliances and the other group (n = 32) using Invisalign^® aligners. Immediately after fitting the appliances, the patients' perception of pain was evaluated through a close-ended and coded self-administrated questionnaire by using a visual analog scale (VAS). Their responses were recorded at 4 hours, 24 hours, day 3, and day 7. Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Pearson's chi-square test were performed for statistical analysis.

Results

A lower percentage of patients treated with Invisalign aligners reported pain than did patients treated with passive self-ligating fixed appliances, and these differences were statistically significant (p = 0.001). Similarly, the mean VAS score for the Invisalign group was significantly lower than that for the passive self-ligating fixed appliance group at different intervals during the first week of treatment. The intensity of pain with both appliances peaked at 24 hours (mean VAS score, 3.87) and was lowest (mean VAS score, 1.62) on day 7.

Conclusions

During the first week of orthodontic treatment, patients treated with Invisalign aligners reported lower pain than did those treated with passive self-ligating fixed appliances.

Potential risks of orthodontic therapy: a critical review and conceptual framework

This review examines some of the potential risks of orthodontic therapy along with their evidence base. The risks of orthodontic treatment include periodontal damage, pain, root resorption, tooth devitalization, temporomandibular disorder, caries, speech problems and enamel damage. These risks can be understood to arise from a synergy between treatment and patient factors. In general terms, treatment factors that can influence risk include appliance type, force vectors and duration of treatment whilst relevant patient factors are both biological and behavioural. Hence, the natural variation between orthodontic treatment plans and patients gives rise to variations in risk. A good understanding of these risks is required for clinicians to obtain informed consent before starting treatment as well as to reduce the potential for harm during treatment. After considering each of these risks, a conceptual framework is presented to help clinicians better understand how orthodontic risks arise and may therefore be mitigated.

Therapeutic efficacy of self-ligating brackets: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Over the last few years, the use of self-ligating brackets in orthodontics has progressed considerably. These systems have been the subject of numerous studies with good levels of evidence making it possible to evaluate their efficacy and efficiency compared to conventional brackets. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of self-ligating brackets by means of a systematic review of the scientific literature.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic study was undertaken in the form of a recent search of the electronic Pubmed database, oriented by the use of several keywords combined by Boolean operators relating to the therapeutic efficacy of self-ligating brackets through the study of tooth alignment, space closure, expansion, treatment duration and degree of discomfort. The search was limited to randomized controlled studies, and two independent readers identified studies corresponding to the selection criteria.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The chosen articles comprised 20 randomized controlled trials. The studies analyzed revealed the absence of significant differences between the two types of system on the basis of the clinical criteria adopted, thereby refuting the hypothesis of the superiority of self-ligating brackets over conventional systems.

Insight into orthodontic appliance induced pain: Mechanism, duration and management

Most of the orthodontic patients experience pain during treatment and this significantly influences their attitudes and the approach towards treatment. A number of factors that influence pain response include age, gender, personal pain threshold, mood and stress level of the person, cultural differences and types of orthodontic treatment. Pain is a often overlooked subject by orthodontists, it is nevertheless important to understand the source and mechanism of the pain that occurs during treatment, as well as the methods for managing and controlling this pain. This review attempts to overview the mechanism, duration and current management strategies of orthodontic treatment.

Supplemental vibrational force does not reduce pain experience during initial alignment with fixed orthodontic appliances: a multicenter randomized clinical trial

This prospective randomized trial investigated the effect of supplemental vibrational force on orthodontic pain during alignment with fixed-appliances. Eighty-one subjects < 20 years-old undergoing extraction-based fixed-appliance treatment were randomly allocated to supplementary (20-minutes/day) use of an intra-oral vibrational device (AcceleDent^®) (n = 29); an identical non-functional (sham) device (n = 25) or fixed-appliances only (n = 27). Each subject recorded pain intensity (using a 100-mm visual-analogue scale) and intake of oral analgesia in a questionnaire, following appliance-placement (T1) and first-adjustment (T2) for 1-week (immediately-after, 4, 24, 72-hours and at 1-week). Mean maximum-pain for the total sample was 72.96 mm [SD 21.59; 95%CI 68.19–77.74 mm] with no significant differences among groups (P = 0.282). Subjects taking analgesics reported slightly higher maximum-pain although this was not significant (P = 0.170). The effect of intervention was independent of analgesia (P = 0.883). At T1 and T2, a statistically and clinically significant increase in mean pain was seen at 4 and 24-hours, declining at 72-hours and becoming insignificant at 1-week. For mean alignment-rate, pain-intensity and use of analgesics, no significant differences existed between groups (P > 0.003). The only significant predictor for mean pain was time. Use of an AcceleDent vibrational device had no significant effect on orthodontic pain or analgesia consumption during initial alignment with fixed appliances.

Mandibular changes during initial alignment with SmartClip self-ligating and conventional brackets: A single-center prospective randomized controlled clinical trial

Objective

To test the null hypothesis that SmartClip self-ligating brackets are more effective than conventional brackets for initial mandibular alignment and identify influential factors.

Methods

Fifty patients were randomly allocated to two equal treatment groups by using an online randomization program: self-ligating group (SmartClip brackets) and conventional group (Gemini brackets). The archwire sequence was standardized. Changes in anterior irregularity index, intercanine width, and intermolar width were assessed on plaster models at 8th and 16th weeks. Changes in incisor position and inclination were assessed on lateral cephalometric radiographs at 16 weeks. Intragroup and intergroup comparisons were performed with paired t-test and Student's t-test, respectively. Multiple linear regression was performed to identify variables affecting improvement in anterior ambiguity.

Results

Data of 46 patients were analyzed; those missing an appointment (n = 2) or showing bracket breakage (n = 2) were excluded. Incisor inclination (p < 0.05), intercanine width (p < 0.05), and intermolar width (p > 0.05) increased at 8 and 16 weeks in both the groups; no significant intergroup differences were noted (p > 0.05). Initial anterior irregularity index and intercanine width change were significantly associated with improvement in anterior irregularity (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The null hypothesis was rejected. Bracket type has little effect on improvement in anterior ambiguity during initial mandibular alignment.