Oral hygiene compliance in orthodontic patients: a randomized controlled study on the effects of a post-treatment communication.

Background: Several studies have recently demonstrated that a post-treatment communication to explain the importance of an oral hygiene can improve the orthodontic patients' compliance over a period of 66 days. The main goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of a structured follow-up communication after orthodontic appliance application on oral hygiene compliance after 30-40 days.

Methods: Eighty-four orthodontic participants enrolled from patients who were beginning fixed orthodontic treatment at the Orthodontic Department, Gaslini Hospital, Genova, between July and October 2014 were randomly assigned to one of three trial arms.

Effectiveness and efficiency in clinical orthodontic practice.

Proffitt et al. have described "effectiveness and efficiency" (E&E) as achieving desired results without wasting the orthodontist's and patients' time. In 1972, Archibald Cochrane published a monograph entitled "Effectiveness and Efficiency," which challenged the medical community to use medical protocols that were evidence-based.

Perception of facial attractiveness following modification of the nose and teeth.

Objective: We investigated how laypeople perceive persons with straight teeth and nose, mild to moderate modification of the nose, and mild to moderate modification of the teeth. The objectives were to determine: (1) how modification of the nose or teeth affects others' perceptions of target persons' facial attractiveness, (2) whether these evaluations are affected by the target persons' or raters' gender, (3) whether the frontal view or three-quarter view has any effect on the ratings.

Materials And Methods: Survey data were collected from 226 college students at Seton Hill University (49% male, 51% female; age range, 18-25 years) who rated, on a 100mm VAS, photos of subjects with straight teeth and nose (control), mild to moderate modification of the nose, and mild to moderate modification of the teeth from the frontal and three-quarter views.

The influence of text messaging on oral hygiene effectiveness.

Objective: To investigate whether text message reminders regarding oral hygiene have an effect on plaque removal in orthodontic patients.

Materials And Methods: In this randomized, controlled clinical trial, 50 orthodontic patients were assigned to either a text message or control group. Patients in the text message group received 12 text messages over the course of 4 weeks and one text message for 8 weeks thereafter.

Effect of text message follow-up on patient's self-reported level of pain and anxiety.

Objectives: To determine whether a text message reduces the severity of patient self-reported levels of pain and anxiety following initial placement of orthodontic appliances.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-nine orthodontic patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups and matched for age, gender, and bracket type (self-ligating vs conventional). The subjects completed baseline questionnaires to ascertain their levels of pain and anxiety before initiating orthodontic treatment.