Adolescent Compliance with Oral Hygiene Instructions during Fixed Orthodontic Treatment: A Pilot Study

• Main Author: Al-Jewair, Thikriat
• Other Authors: Suri, Sunjay
• Language: en_ca
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Orthodontics; Compliance; 0567
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1807/17492

Objectives: To determine compliance with oral hygiene instructions (OHI) of adolescents receiving two-arch fixed orthodontic treatment in a graduate orthodontic clinic and to identify predictive factors. Methods: Forty-one patients in a longitudinal pilot study were provided standardized OHI and assessed at baseline: before bonding (T1); 30 days after (T2), and 150 days after bonding (T3). Oral hygiene was measured using plaque and gingival indices. Compliance predictors were identified from questionnaires and patient records. Results: Good compliers increased from 10 at T1 to 29 at T3. Univariate analyses found perceived severity of malocclusion, school performance and parental marital status to be significant predictors. Multiple logistic regression identified having married parents and good school performance as significant predictors. Conclusions: In the sample studied, after initially worsening, compliance with OHI improved at five months after bonding. Adolescents with married parents and those reporting good academic performance in school were more likely to comply.