COVID-ified’ orthodontic practice: A review

Abstract

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus (SARS-CoV-2). It emerged as a global pandemic in early 2020, affecting more than 200 countries and territories. As SARS-CoV-2 has also been identified in the saliva of infected individuals, it poses a significant risk for dental professionals and their patients. This article focuses on the changes which are to stay in the wake of COVID-19 especially with respect to orthodontic practice. It is important to have a thorough knowledge about handling the procedures and emergencies in the current scenario or in the wake of an unprecedented future lockdown. Practitioners must anticipate and be prepared for the effects of unsupervised orthodontic treatment in the wake of unprecedented suspension of elective treatment due to COVID 19. This literature also focuses on publications regarding this new corona virus and supplies valuable indications to professionals concerning protective and preventive measures that can be adopted. Orthodontically relevant sources of information were searched using electronic databases including PubMed and Google Scholar, Scopus and SciELO. As keywords, the terms "Orthodontics" and "Covid-19" were used in English. Where available, peer-reviewed and more recent publications were given priority.