A qualitative evaluation of attitudes toward extractions among primary care orthodontists in Great Britain.

Introduction: The need to extract permanent teeth as part of orthodontic treatment has been keenly debated over many decades. Changes in the frequency of extraction have been well documented; however, we continue to lack an understanding of what influences clinicians' decisions regarding extracting permanent teeth.

Methods: Purposive sampling was undertaken to obtain representative views from primary care practitioners across Great Britain with a range of experience representing genders and wide geographic distribution.