An analytical study on the recognition of patients to past oral injuries caused by fixed appliance.

Abstract

In this study, the recognition to oral injuries in 73 orthodontic patients with fixed appliances (male : female ratio, 1 : 2.7 ; mean age, 23.5 ± 6.2 years ; mean treatment period, 2.2 ± 1.3 years ; mean overbite, 1.1 ± 3.1mm ; mean overjet 1.5 ± 5.2mm) was investigated to determine the relationships between their recognition and the following factors : gender ratio, age, treatment period, overbite, overjet and type of bracket. It was found that the factor that had the greatest effect on recognition was gender. Other factors, except for type of bracket, had little effect. It was also found that the patients could remember the types and the sites of past injuries. In addition, there was tendency to have abrasions in the more anterior segment and stab wounds in the more posterior segment of the dental arch. The results of this study also indicate that no factor alone was the direct cause of any of the injuries and that gender might affect to the recognition of injuries. These findings are of value not only for daily orthodontic practice but also for related and future studies.