International Journal of Orthodontic Rehabilitation

GUEST EDITORIAL
Year
: 2017  |  Volume : 8  |  Issue : 1  |  Page : 1--2

The quality of life in orthodontic patients


Rodrigo Duarte Farias 
 Dental Research Center, São Leopoldo Mandic, SLMANDIC, SP, Brazil

Correspondence Address:
Rodrigo Duarte Farias
Dental Research Center, Sao Leopoldo Mandic, SLMANDIC, SP
Brazil




How to cite this article:
Farias RD. The quality of life in orthodontic patients.Int J Orthod Rehabil 2017;8:1-2


How to cite this URL:
Farias RD. The quality of life in orthodontic patients. Int J Orthod Rehabil [serial online] 2017 [cited 2024 Mar 28 ];8:1-2
Available from: https://www.orthodrehab.org/text.asp?2017/8/1/1/200221


Full Text

The malocclusion, described as a change in growth and development that affects teeth occlusion, can be considered as a public health problem with high prevalence and interfering on quality of life of affected individuals.[1],[2]

The orthodontic treatment aims to restore esthetic and masticatory functions that consequently can help in social and psychological well-being of the patient aiming “quality of life.”[3],[4],[5],[6],[7],[8]

The negative impact of the activation of the orthodontic treatment in the early days, through the discomfort or pain, can cause more discomfort and impair the quality of life on patients and, in some cases, can also lead to the withdrawal of the treatment.[9] During this period, the patient must be instructed clearly about the possible effects at the beginning of the treatment so that there is no breach of trust. According to Pringle et al.,[10] 91% of orthodontic-treated patients experience episodes of pain that was described as the worst aspect of the treatment and the main reason to want to end it. For patients, the biggest relationship problem was the lack of “feedback” from the orthodontist at the beginning of treatment as well as in episodes of acute pain due to problems with orthodontic appliance.

During periods of pain, the decrease in the quality of life in our patients is significant; therefore, we must provide immediate assistance.

The accomplishment of an orthodontic treatment depends exclusively on the level of trust between the professional and the patient. The decision to launch it becomes reliant on the views of patients and their parents that often means the motivation caused by the negative impact that the malocclusion has generated on them, be it esthetic, functional, or social. Thus, this patient autonomy plays an important role in the prediction of final results since satisfaction would be theoretically related to the reduction or elimination of the factors that led him to get treatment.

Regardless of the used technique, the device type, the composition of wires, among other factors, we must perform smooth movements, respecting the biology and its impact on the stomatognathic system.

Related to this, as described widely in the literature, we can make use of pharmacological and nonpharmacological methods as a way to prevent and even eliminate the discomfort at the beginning of the treatment.[11]

It is appropriate to point out that even being widely researched, we as orthodontists do not have the habit to indicate preventive ways to reduce patient discomfort but only to patients who have a higher pain threshold.

It is up to us to change this approach and contribute to a better quality of life for our patients.

References

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