Survival analysis of three types of maxillary and mandibular bonded orthodontic retainers: a retrospective cohort

Abstract

Background Retention is an important aspect of orthodontic treatment. This study aimed to analyze the survival of three types of maxillary and mandibular bonded orthodontic retainers. Methods This retrospective cohort study evaluated the records of 118 orthodontic patients (90 females, 28 males, mean age of 22.34 ± 6.44 years) retrieved from a private orthodontic office. Data regarding the retainer failure, dental caries, unwanted tooth movements, maximum pocket depth (PD), and bleeding on probing (BOP) recorded at the follow-up sessions were extracted from patient records. Three types of retainer wires namely Bond-A-Braid, Orthoflex, and Retainium were compared regarding the abovementioned parameters. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, Chi-square, Monte-Carlo Chi-square, and Kruskal Wallis tests, the log rank test, and the Cox regression model. Results The frequency of retainer failure was not significantly different between males and females, different age groups, or different treatment durations (P > 0.05). Wire fracture was the most common failure type in both the maxilla and mandible. Also, the frequency of failure was not significantly different between the maxillary and mandibular retainers (P > 0.05). The frequency of failure, and survival of the three types of retainer wires were not significantly different during a 5-year period (P > 0.05). Conclusions The three types of orthodontic retainers had comparable survival rates. Their failure rate was not correlated with the age or gender of patients or the treatment duration.

Orthodontic Retainers—A Critical Review

“…Hawley-type appliances, combining an acrylic base plate and wire arch, are considered an optimal functional solution to retain the entire dental arch [86,87]. The risk of caries may increase only in cases of inadequate oral hygiene practice [69,88,89], as patients with orthodontic retainers have been found probably more vigilant with tooth cleaning [90]. Indeed, the favorable effect of fluoride toothpaste, mouthwash, and other products may prove more pronounced in people with fixed retainers because of the ensuing increase in oral fluoride retention [91].…”

Recidiva y movimiento dental involuntario después del tratamiento de ortodoncia en personas con retenedores fijos: Una revisión

“…These terms were used by Kucera et al . 23 who indicated that the X effect is the change in torque of two adjacent teeth, indistinctly in upper or lower incisors, which may be accompanied by a rotation of the entire anterior segment and occlusal plane canting (rotational effect) in which small spaces develop between the teeth over time 24 .…”

“…Complications have been reported 2 to 4 years after the retainer placement 22 , 27 . This is because patients with retainers should be regularly evaluated in the first two years during the initial retention periods since early detection of any complication such as dental movement is important in order to carry out timely and adequate corrective measures 24 .…”