Oral Mucosa Status of Patients Undergoing Orthodontic Treatment

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of oral hygiene and the type of orthodontic appliance on oral mucosa in orthodontic patients. The study included 110 children, aged between 6 and 18, (60 subjects were wearers of fixed and removable orthodontic appliances and 50 subjects were control group who had just been referred to orthodontic treatment). A degree of oral hygiene, dental status, and periodontal status as well as the intensity of inflammation of oral mucosa was recorded in all subjects by using verified clinical tests. The frequency and intensity of inflammation were reversely proportional to oral hygiene degree (p= 2.287E-10 ; p<0.05). The controls had poorer oral hygiene findings. Only a small number of fixed orthodontic appliance wearers had inflammatory changes of higher intensity (5%). A significant correlation between oral mucosa inflammation and type of orthodontic appliance was not found. Orthodontic appliance wearers had better oral hygiene and less frequent inflammatory changes than controls.