Managing orthodontic appliances in everyday life: A qualitative study of young people’s experiences with removable functional appliances, fixed appliances and retainers

Abstract

Objective: To compare young people’s experiences of wearing a range of orthodontic appliances. Design: A cross-sectional, qualitative study with purposive sampling. Setting: UK dental teaching hospital. Participants: Twenty-six orthodontic patients aged 11–17 years. Methods: Patients participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Results: Young people reported physical, practical and emotional impacts from their appliances. Despite these reported impacts, participants described ‘getting used’ to and, therefore, not being bothered by their appliance. Framework analysis of the data identified a multi-dimensional social process of managing everyday life with an appliance. This involves addressing the ‘dys-appearance’ of the body through physically adapting to an appliance. This process also includes psychological approaches, drawing on social networks, developing strategies and situating experiences in a longer-term context. Engaging in this process allowed young people to address the physical, practical and emotional impacts of their appliances. Conclusion: This qualitative research has identified how young people manage everyday life with an appliance. Understanding this process will help orthodontists to support their patients.

Management of orthodontic emergencies during 2019-NCOV

“…Functional Aligners Retainers (for example Essix appliance) Functional appliances are used by growing patients to guide the correct growth of the dento-alveolar complex and the jaws [5].…”

Early Treatment of Anterior Crossbite with Eruption Guidance Appliance: A Case Report

“…This removable and easily washable oral device can also encourage better oral hygiene and better oral health status [38]. One of the main advantages of the proposed approach is the low psychosocial and psychological impact on the patient [39].…”

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“…Kettle et al 34 identified from young people a multi-dimensional social process of managing everyday life with an orthodontic appliance. This study only included subjects wearing buccal fixed appliances; therefore, the impact of other removable appliances, retainers, or lingual brackets was not measured with the OHIP-S14 Ortho, and the results are not generalizable to all kinds of orthodontic treatment.…”

“…Another factor to take into account is the response scale used in this study. Although it is easily quantifiable and understood, it might not measure the true attitudes of respondents, which could underestimates the effects of impacts of high concern to individuals, as the impact of the malocclusion is largely in the emotional and social well-being subscales 34 .On the other hand, our study analysis approach was by classical test theory (CTT) instead of the item response theory (IRT), based on the notion that CTT does not invoke a complex theoretical model to relate an examinee's ability to succeed on a particular item and that is easier to apply in many testing situations. However, readers must be aware of the weakness of CTT in terms of its circular dependency on item/person statistics.…”