Attitude and perception of orthodontic patients to orthodontic treatment time and accelerated orthodontics.

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the a?itude and perception of orthodontic patients to the duration of orthodontic treatment and the procedures for accelerating orthodontic tooth movement.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study. The study population was made up of patients undergoing fixed appliance orthodontic treatment at the Orthodontic Unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. A convenience sampling technique was used and data collection was via selfadministered questionnaires and an information sheet. The questionnaires assessed patients' knowledge of accelerated orthodontic procedures as well as their perception of orthodontic treatment time and willingness to undergo some accelerated orthodontic treatment procedures. The procedures evaluated included corticotomy, piezocision, micro-osteoperforation, laser therapy, local administration of injections and use of vibrations.
Results: One hundred orthodontic patients (n=100, adolescents, 46%; adults, 54%) were surveyed comprising 36 males and 64 females. Most of the participants (88%) had never heard of accelerated orthodontics. A majority of respondents (75%) believed that orthodontic treatment time was too long, and were willing to undergo additional procedures to reduce treatment time (81%). Subjects' willingness to undergo the procedures were inversely proportional to the degree of its invasiveness for all groups, with at least a third of the patients willing to accept a 10% increase in treatment fees for a reduction in treatment time across all techniques surveyed.
Conclusion: The orthodontic patients surveyed considered treatment time protracted and were interested in undergoing adjunctive orthodontic procedures to accelerate tooth movement, with a consequent increase in treatment cost. They, however, had a limited knowledge of the different methods of accelerating orthodontic treatment.

Key words: Accelerated orthodontics, orthodontic treatment time