The Effect of Dental Care during Orthodontic Treatment: Systematic Review

Abstract

The maintenance of stringent oral hygiene practices is imperative during orthodontic treatment in order to prevent plaque from accumulating over braces and other orthodontic appliances, leading to gingivitis inflammation and periodontal disease. Consequently, an orthodontist is responsible for providing advice to patients about oral hygiene to maintain periodontal health and for monitoring plaque control measures. In spite of their orthodontist's recommendation, most orthodontic patients do not follow their recommended instructions on how to maintain a satisfactory level of plaque control. We conducted our systematic review of literature in English. During the initial re-examination phase, there were no filters applied to ensure all studies were available for subsequent screening. Filters like human studies were added later, with English language studies being the only ones added. We found nine articles related to orthodontic treatment, and their relation to dental care, during our literature review. It is essential to maintain good oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment to reduce iatrogenic demineralization and caries. When a patient's DMFS score is high, prophylaxis programs are necessary during orthodontic treatment.