Knowledge, attitude and practice of patients towards orthodontic treatment

Abstract

Background Orthodontic treatment is a time-consuming and highly technique-sensitive clinical procedure. A patient's comprehension and compliance with oral hygiene instructions and appliance maintenance are critical to the success of orthodontic treatment. This study was performed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of patients seen at government orthodontic clinics in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya towards orthodontic treatment. Methods A validated, bilingual, self-administered questionnaire comprising fifteen questions across the domains of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice was used and responses were assessed with 3 responses; one correct, one incorrect and one reflecting uncertainty. 507 patients from five orthodontic centres participated in this study. Data was analysed using SPSS. Continuous data was summarised as mean and standard deviation or median and inter-quartile range, as appropriate. Categorical data was summarised as frequency and percentage, then univariable analysis was carried out with Pearson’s chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate. Results The mean age of respondents was 22.5 years (SD ± 2.8). A majority of respondents were female (64.1%) and from the lowest income bracket or B40 group (71%). Overall, for the knowledge domain, a majority of the respondents got all questions correct. 69.4% of patients were aware that incomplete treatment could lead to worsening of their malocclusion. 80.9% of respondents were aware of the need for a retainer upon completion of their orthodontic treatment. For the attitude section, 64.7% felt that they had to wait a very long time to see the orthodontist. In the Practice domain, the majority only got two of the five questions correct. Only 39.8% of respondents made an effort to alter dietary habits all of the time. In general, females and those with tertiary education fared better for all three domains. Conclusions The orthodontic patients in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya possess good knowledge about their treatment however their attitude and orthodontic related practices need to be improved.

Understanding, acceptance and compliance of patients towards orthodontic treatment: Questionnaire survey on ongoing cases

“…This is an indication that the orthodontic team should include and stress upon the possible risks of incomplete orthodontic treatment during the discussion of the treatment plan with the patients so that the patient is fully aware of consequences and the possibility that dental condition may worsen over time if their orthodontic treatment is not completed, so that patient will understand the need and will be regular for future follow-ups. 4,5 Interestingly, only 44.5% of patients responded that they consult doctor if braces or bands becomes loose, which corelates with the results of study carried out by Rajesh Gyawali et al 6 which stated that the most of the patients seek for orthodontic appointments when there is the loosening of brackets or bondable buccal tubes, followed by the loosening of bands, but 31.5% patients still put wax onto the bracket. This indicates that, the orthodontist should educate the patients properly that what should be done in such cases and which problems are manageable at home and in which conditions they should consult doctors immediately 7 (Figure 1; Q4).…”

Systematic Review Regarding The Difference In Dental Plaque Accumulation Associated With Fixed Orthodontic Retainers And Vacuum Formed Removable Retainer.

“…Mainly, this relies on the patient's knowledge of brushing techniques and adjunctive hygiene methods to maintain overall oral health, this is why it is important to perform regular checkups at the dental office that include professional dental cleanings at least every 6 months. Motivating and Instructing patients on good oral hygiene, especially those wearing FR, prevents worsening of periodontal conditions and consequent diseases so that periodontal health will not be compromised by any type of retainer [28,29,30]. Further research can explore the effects of retainers on other periodontal indices (e.g.…”

Recent progress in alleviating orthodontic discomfort: Mechanism and management-the state of evidence

“…Recognizing the significance of wearing orthodontic appliances accurately and according to the orthodontist's guidelines can result in improved treatment results. 49…”