Objectives: Bracket failure is one of the problems that happen during fixed orthodontic treatment, which slows treatment progression and is costly in time, material, and patient inconvenience. The present study aimed to assess orthodontic professionals' perceptions regarding bracket failure during fixed orthodontic treatment.           Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted by distributing a self–administered questionnaire among orthodontic professionals. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were tested before study conduction. In total, 158 orthodontic professionals were approached across Iraq. The questionnaire included eight questions on practice, nine on perceptions, and three on awareness with regard to the prevention and management of bracket failure. Data were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn-Bonferroni post hoc test.       Results: The majority of the participants either agreed (58.2%) or strongly agreed (27.8%) that instruction on appropriate food consumption is the best way to prevent bracket debonding. Years of experience were shown to have a statistically significant association with the rate of bracket failure and number of appointments per week for bracket rebonding, at p=0.01 and p=0.001, respectively. A postgraduate orthodontics degree was shown to have a statistically significant association with perception and awareness within the study population, at p= 0.0005 and p=0.01, respectively.   Conclusions: Orthodontic professionals regarded orthodontists as having the least responsibility for bracket failure. It is recommended to have special practice guidelines for the management of bracket failure.

Objective: White spot lesions (WSL) are considered the most frequent complication during fixed orthodontic treatment. The aim of the present study was to assess the knowledge and practice levels of orthodontic professionals regarding the prevention and treatment of WSL in the Kurdistan region-Iraq.           Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted by distributing a validated self–administered questionnaire among orthodontic professionals and dentists practicing orthodontics. The questionnaire included ten questions about the knowledge and nine for the practice with regard to the prevention and treatment of WSL. Data were analyzed by descriptive tests, Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Mann Whitney test.       Results: Sixty orthodontists and dentists practicing orthodontics participated in the study. Most participants (78.3%) had intermediate knowledge, and 66.7% recorded high practice scores. The knowledge and practice scores in female orthodontists and participants with postgraduate orthodontics degrees were significantly higher than in male orthodontists and those without a postgraduate degree (P = 0.0001).   Conclusions: Participants exhibited good knowledge and experience and good practice in the prevention and treatment of WSL. It is recommended to have special practice guidelines for the prevention of WSL.