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

<sec><h3>Objectives</h3>
<p>To investigate patient experience of aligner treatment and associated influencing factors.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Methods</h3>
<p>A total of 102 patients wearing Invisalign clear aligners (Align Technology, California, USA) were recruited in an initial treatment group (<italic>N</italic> = 62) and a refinement group (<italic>N</italic> = 40). Clinical diagnoses and treatment designs were collected. Data from a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), a Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and an Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) were recorded at the commencement (Day 0, before wearing the first set of aligners) and during the first 7 days (Days 1–7) after wearing the first set of aligners.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Results</h3>
<p>The patient experience of aligner treatment (i.e., pain, anxiety and quality of life) was poorest during the first two days (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05), and returned to a normal level within a week. The level of patient experience during the initial phase was greater than that during the later refinement phase (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.01). During the initial treatment, the studied factors did not significantly influence the level of pain (VAS) (<italic>P</italic> > 0.05 for all) nor anxiety (SAS) (<italic>P</italic> > 0.10 for all); the number of teeth with optimised attachments significantly (<italic>R</italic> = 0.28, <italic>P</italic> = 0.03) influenced the quality of life (OHIP-14). During the refinement phase, the studied factors did not significantly influence the level of pain (VAS) (<italic>P</italic> > 0.09 for all); the number of aligner sets significantly influenced the level of anxiety (SAS) (<italic>R</italic> = 0.41, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.01); the Index of Treatment Complexity Outcome and Need (ICON) (<italic>R</italic> = 0.44, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.01) and whether elastics were required significantly influenced the quality of life (OHIP-14) (<italic>R</italic> = 0.349, <italic>P</italic> = 0.03).</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>Patient experience of aligner treatment was poorest during the first two days and improved over a week. Patient experience during the initial phase was generally worse than that during refinement. Four clinical factors were found to have an influence, including the number of teeth with optimised attachments, the number of aligner sets, the ICON, and the need for elastics.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Objectives
To investigate patient experience of aligner treatment and associated influencing factors.

Methods
A total of 102 patients wearing Invisalign clear aligners (Align Technology, California, USA) were recruited in an initial treatment group (N = 62) and a refinement group (N = 40). Clinical diagnoses and treatment designs were collected. Data from a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), a Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and an Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) were recorded at the commencement (Day 0, before wearing the first set of aligners) and during the first 7 days (Days 1–7) after wearing the first set of aligners.

Results
The patient experience of aligner treatment (i.e., pain, anxiety and quality of life) was poorest during the first two days (P < 0.05), and returned to a normal level within a week. The level of patient experience during the initial phase was greater than that during the later refinement phase (P < 0.01). During the initial treatment, the studied factors did not significantly influence the level of pain (VAS) (P > 0.05 for all) nor anxiety (SAS) (P > 0.10 for all); the number of teeth with optimised attachments significantly (R = 0.28, P = 0.03) influenced the quality of life (OHIP-14). During the refinement phase, the studied factors did not significantly influence the level of pain (VAS) (P > 0.09 for all); the number of aligner sets significantly influenced the level of anxiety (SAS) (R = 0.41, P < 0.01); the Index of Treatment Complexity Outcome and Need (ICON) (R = 0.44, P < 0.01) and whether elastics were required significantly influenced the quality of life (OHIP-14) (R = 0.349, P = 0.03).

Conclusions
Patient experience of aligner treatment was poorest during the first two days and improved over a week. Patient experience during the initial phase was generally worse than that during refinement. Four clinical factors were found to have an influence, including the number of teeth with optimised attachments, the number of aligner sets, the ICON, and the need for elastics.

Aligner treatment: patient experience and influencing factors

State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases

Department of Orthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology

Discipline of Orthodontics, Department of Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry

Australasian Orthodontic Journal

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Aligner treatment: patient experience and influencing factors"}

Objectives
To investigate patient experience of aligner treatment and associated influencing factors.

Methods
A total of 102 patients wearing Invisalign clear aligners (Align Technology, California, USA) were recruited in an initial treatment group (N = 62) and a refinement group (N = 40). Clinical diagnoses and treatment designs were collected. Data from a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), a Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and an Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) were recorded at the commencement (Day 0, before wearing the first set of aligners) and during the first 7 days (Days 1–7) after wearing the first set of aligners.

Results
The patient experience of aligner treatment (i.e., pain, anxiety and quality of life) was poorest during the first two days (P  0.05 for all) nor anxiety (SAS) (P > 0.10 for all); the number of teeth with optimised attachments significantly (R = 0.28, P = 0.03) influenced the quality of life (OHIP-14). During the refinement phase, the studied factors did not significantly influence the level of pain (VAS) (P > 0.09 for all); the number of aligner sets significantly influenced the level of anxiety (SAS) (R = 0.41, P < 0.01); the Index of Treatment Complexity Outcome and Need (ICON) (R = 0.44, P < 0.01) and whether elastics were required significantly influenced the quality of life (OHIP-14) (R = 0.349, P = 0.03).

Conclusions
Patient experience of aligner treatment was poorest during the first two days and improved over a week. Patient experience during the initial phase was generally worse than that during refinement. Four clinical factors were found to have an influence, including the number of teeth with optimised attachments, the number of aligner sets, the ICON, and the need for elastics.

Objectives
To investigate patient experience of aligner treatment and associated influencing factors.

Methods
A total of 102 patients wearing Invisalign clear...

Aligner treatment: patient experience and influencing factors

Pubblicato online: 17 feb 2022

Pagine: 88 - 95

Ricevuto: 01 ott 2021

Accettato: 01 gen 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/aoj-2022.008

© 2022 Lin Xu et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.