<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Background:</bold> In the last decades, adult patients require orthodontic treatment as a therapeutic method in an increasing percentage. This treatment has a lot of benefits, but unfortunately it also presents a number of complications and risks, among which favoring the accumulation of bacterial plaque is the most concerning.
<bold>Aim of the study:</bold> In this study we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using the dark-field microscope as a method of motivating adult patients with orthodontic treatment in maintaining a proper oral hygiene.
<bold>Material and methods:</bold> Thirty-six patients were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. At time T0, patients were divided into two groups: Group 1–microscope and Group 2 – control, in such a way that the groups were as homogeneous as possible. Dental plaque samples were collected and analyzed under a dark field microscope in the presence of the patient for subjects from Group 1 but not Group 2. All patients were then instructed on oral hygiene techniques. The following periodontal indices were recorded of each patient: plaque index (PI), index of bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD) – at T0 and T1 (after one month).
<bold>Results:</bold> Comparing the PI and BOP values before (T0) and after treatment (T1), statistically significant results were detected (PI: p = 0.0020, BOP: p = 0.0297), which denotes that patients who observed the bacterial load of their dental plaque in real time using the dark-field microscope had a better oral hygiene and lower values of periodontal health indices. Regarding the PD index, the difference between time T0 and T1 was not statistically significant (p = 1.4762).
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> During the orthodontic treatment, adult patients often present gingival inflammation caused by improper hygiene. The use of the dark-field microscope is effective in motivating patients regarding the rules of maintenance of a proper oral hygiene.
</abstract>

Background: In the last decades, adult patients require orthodontic treatment as a therapeutic method in an increasing percentage. This treatment has a lot of benefits, but unfortunately it also presents a number of complications and risks, among which favoring the accumulation of bacterial plaque is the most concerning.
Aim of the study: In this study we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using the dark-field microscope as a method of motivating adult patients with orthodontic treatment in maintaining a proper oral hygiene.
Material and methods: Thirty-six patients were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. At time T0, patients were divided into two groups: Group 1–microscope and Group 2 – control, in such a way that the groups were as homogeneous as possible. Dental plaque samples were collected and analyzed under a dark field microscope in the presence of the patient for subjects from Group 1 but not Group 2. All patients were then instructed on oral hygiene techniques. The following periodontal indices were recorded of each patient: plaque index (PI), index of bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD) – at T0 and T1 (after one month).
Results: Comparing the PI and BOP values before (T0) and after treatment (T1), statistically significant results were detected (PI: p = 0.0020, BOP: p = 0.0297), which denotes that patients who observed the bacterial load of their dental plaque in real time using the dark-field microscope had a better oral hygiene and lower values of periodontal health indices. Regarding the PD index, the difference between time T0 and T1 was not statistically significant (p = 1.4762).
Conclusions: During the orthodontic treatment, adult patients often present gingival inflammation caused by improper hygiene. The use of the dark-field microscope is effective in motivating patients regarding the rules of maintenance of a proper oral hygiene.

Motivation of Adult Patients with Orthodontic Treatment in Maintaining Oral Hygiene

I. O. S. U. D. of the “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology

Department of Odontology and Oral Pathology

“George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology

Journal of Interdisciplinary Medicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Background: In the last decades, adult patients require orthodontic treatment as a therapeutic method in an increasing percentage. This treatment has a lot of...

Motivation of Adult Patients with Orthodontic Treatment in Maintaining Oral Hygiene

Published Online: Nov 07, 2022

Page range: 60 - 66

Received: Aug 21, 2022

Accepted: Sep 11, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jim-2022-0018

Keywords
adult patients, orthodontic treatment, oral hygiene, dark field microscope, periodontal health

© 2022 Ana Petra Lazăr et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Motivation of Adult Patients with Orthodontic Treatment in Maintaining Oral Hygiene

Published Online: Nov 07, 2022

Page range: 60 - 66

Received: Aug 21, 2022

Accepted: Sep 11, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jim-2022-0018

Keywordsadult patients, orthodontic treatment, oral hygiene, dark field microscope, periodontal health

© 2022 Ana Petra Lazăr et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
adult patients, orthodontic treatment, oral hygiene, dark field microscope, periodontal health