Research Article
Akshay Gupta*,Karanprakash
Abstract
Objective: To assess the problems faced by patients receiving orthodontic treatment as this procedure leads to more accumulation of plaque that effects oral health. Methods: This epidemiological study was done among a group of 500 subjects consisting of 194 orthodontic and 306 non orthodontic patients. The age of all the participants ranges between 17 to 20 years with a mean age of 21.36 years. Clinical examination was done to know the presence of dental problems with orthodontic procedure. Data were analyzed with SPSS software version 16.0 at p<0.05. Results: The dental problems noticed during the orthodontic procedure were oral ulcerations (47.6%), caries (34.3%) and periodontal diseases (18.1%). Significant difference was found in case of calculus and shallow pocket component (4-5 mm) (p<0.05) among both the groups. Overall significant difference of DMFT was surveyed among the groups with an increase in mean scores among orthodontic patients (p<0.05). Conclusion: The study showed high prevalence of dental problems in the orthodontic patients as they feel difficulty in maintaining their oral hygiene due to the inconvenience caused by orthodontic appliances.