Young people’s experiences of orthodontic retainers: A qualitative study

Abstract

Objective: To investigate young people’s experiences of retainers, the associated impact of retainers on their lives and their perceptions of what influences their own co-operation. Design: Qualitative, cross-sectional study. Setting: An orthodontic department in a UK dental hospital. Participants: Purposive sampling was used to recruit young people, aged 11–17 years, wearing a range of different types of retainers. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted and transcribed. The resultant data were analysed using codebook thematic analysis. Results: Ten patients were recruited before thematic saturation was achieved. Four themes were identified: impact and experiences of wearing retainers; facilitators and barriers to retainer adherence; finding out about retainers; and, finally, involvement in decisions about retainers. Although some initial negative impacts were described, participants generally adapted quickly to retainers. Several factors were perceived to influence co-operation with removable retainers, including concerns about relapse and the associated waste of personal effort and wider resources. There were perceived deficiencies in the information provided by clinicians, which led participants to seek advice from other sources, including social media. Some young people wanted to be more involved in decisions about their retainers. Conclusion: While patients perceived retainers to be easier to wear than active appliances, some transient negative impacts occurred, largely related to initial periods of full-time wear. There were a range of factors which patients perceived to influence their adherence with removable retainers.

Systematic Review Regarding The Difference In Dental Plaque Accumulation Associated With Fixed Orthodontic Retainers And Vacuum Formed Removable Retainer.

“…It is shown in this study that plaque accumulation is increased in fixed types of retainers compared to removable ones, it also emerged that after the patients were strictly instructed on hygiene techniques and asked to improve dental hygiene habits (e.g., brushing three times a day with given standardized toothpastes and toothbrushes) the plaque scores dropped showing the major importance of correct oral hygiene protocols [11]. Removable retainers facilitate the oral hygiene procedures, but their effectiveness is solely dependent on the patient's motivation [21]. The study by Eroglu et al [11] recorded a statistically significant decrease of plaque level accumulation for all groups (VFR group and FR group) from the initial measurement that was taken after debonding to the last one taken at 13 weeks.…”

Orthodontic retention experience of university students: A qualitative study

“…Two recent qualitative studies have used interviews to explore young people’s experiences of orthodontic retention in more depth ( Al Moghrabi et al, 2019 ; Frawley et al, 2022 ). The first study found the perceived importance of maintaining tooth position resulted in good short-term adherence; however, longer-term adherence reduced as inconvenience and pragmatic issues associated with the retainers were experienced, such as retainer loss, breakage, issues with cleaning and forgetting retainers ( Al Moghrabi et al, 2019 ).…”

“…Facilitators to retainer wear included being shown examples of relapse, support from friends and family, follow-up with the orthodontist and getting into good habits of wearing and maintaining their retainers. The second study found retainers were generally perceived to be easier than active orthodontic appliances and most young people adapted to them easily ( Frawley at al., 2022 ). Factors promoting retainer wear included fear of relapse, not wishing to waste resources through wasted effort if the teeth move and their relationship with the orthodontist.…”