Caries Risk Factors In Children Under Orthodontic Treatment

Objectives:The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of oral hygiene instructions (OHI) on the caries-related factors shortly in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances. Methods: Forty-two patients (29 females and 13 males) age 10-21 years, scheduled for orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances were participated in this study. They were divided into two groups based on DMFT/dmft scores (decayed, missing, and filled permanent and deciduous teeth) prior to treatment. High caries risk group (5≥DMFT/dmft) and low caries risk group (2≤DMFT/dmft) were created. The patients were instructed on how to carry out effective oral hygiene close to brackets and ligatures. Visible plaque index (VPI) and gingival bleeding index (GBI) were used to measure oral hygiene status. Paraffin stimulated whole saliva was collected for estimations of salivary flow rate, buffer capacity, MS and LB levels, and white spot lesion index (WSL), VPI and GBI were recorded on six anterior maxillary anterior teeth before treatment, 1 month after appliance placement without OHI, and after 2 months of OHI. The obtained data was statistically evaluated with independent t-test and ANOVA. Results: In both groups, the pretreatment buffer capacity, MS levels, and WSL remained statistically unchanged at 1 month after appliance placement without OHI. However, while the levels of LB in high caries risk group significantly elevated, the salivary rate, VPI, and GBI were high in both groups. VPI and GBI were statistically lower following OHI. However OHI did not significantly affect the levels of MS and LB. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that OHI significantly improved oral hygiene in both groups. However, patients with fixed orthodontic appliance should be more protected against the caries risk.