Perception of pain during orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances

Abstract

The aims of this study were to investigate the initial time at which pain occurs after insertion of two initial wires of different sizes, the duration of the pain, the areas affected within the mouth, the level of self-medication, the effect of this pain on daily life, and whether gender is important in the perception of pain. The study group consisted of 109 patients (52 boys, 57 girls) with a mean chronological age of 13.6 years for boys and 14.7 years for girls. Insertion of either a 0.014 or 0.016 inch wire was by random selection. Following insertion of the archwires, a questionnaire comprising a total of 49 questions was given to the patients. They described the time of initial pain in the first question, answered the next 24 questions as 'yes' or 'no', and used a visual analogue scale for the final 24 questions. No significant differences were found in terms of gender, in the perception period of initial pain as regards the areas affected within the mouth or the effect of pain on daily living when the 0.014 and 0.016 inch wire groups were compared at 6 hours, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 days. At 24 hours, which was found to be statistically significant, more pain relief was used in the 0.014 inch archwire group. The results show that in both groups, initial pain was perceived at 2 hours, peaked at 24 hours and had decreased by day 3.

Changes in the oral health-related quality of life 24 h following insertion of fixed orthodontic appliances

“…Many researchers studying pain and discomfort after fixation found that the pain and discomfort started 2 h following insertion, peaked at 24 h, and decreased during the next 3 days following initial arch wire placement. [1516171819] This is in accordance with our study wherein we found patients experiencing pain 24 h following insertion. Brown and Moerenhout[20] reported that pain from orthodontic treatments has a definite influence on the daily activities of patients.…”

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

“…A recent study by White et al22 found that pain peaked between the first and third days of conventional treatment and gradually decreased over the fourth and fifth days. However, some studies have found no significant differences in the prevalence, intensity, frequency, and duration of pain with orthodontic treatment using different archwires 3132…”

Comparative assessment of chewing gum and ibuprofen in the management of orthodontic pain with fixed appliances: A pragmatic multicenter randomized controlled trial

“…It is well recognised that one of the most frequent side effects of orthodontic treatment involving fixed or removable appliances is pain as a result of tooth movement 1 . Pain has been reported to affect between 70% and 95% of children undergoing treatment and its intensity and duration varies from patient to patient, typically beginning 2 to 3 hours after appliance fitting 2,3,4,5,6 and lasting for up to 7 days, with a maximum intensity at 2 days 7,8,9 .…”