The impact of labial fixed appliance orthodontic treatment on patient expectation, experience, and satisfaction: an overview of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND

Patient perception with fixed appliance orthodontic treatment is important to improve oral health-related quality of life.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of labial fixed appliance orthodontic care on patient perception before, during, and after the treatment.

SEARCH

METHODS

Relevant systematic reviews investigating patient perception with fixed appliance orthodontic treatment were identified by searching electronic databases: MEDLINE via OVID (1946 to 31 December 2018), EMBASE (1974 to 31 December 2018), AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine Database; 1985 to November 2018), PubMed (inception to 31 December 2018), Web of Science (1900 to 2018), and PsychINFO (1806 to 31 December 2018). Ongoing systematic reviews were searched using Prospero and a grey literature search was undertaken using Google Scholar and OpenGrey (www.opengrey.eu/). No language restriction was applied.

SELECTION CRITERIA: Only studies investigating patient perception of fixed appliance orthodontic treatment were included.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Screening, quality assessment [using the AMSTAR 2 tool (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews)], and data extraction were performed by two authors independently. Information was categorized and narratively synthesized for the key findings.

RESULTS

A total of 163 articles investigating patient expectation, experience, and satisfaction with conventional ligation labial fixed orthodontic appliances were obtained. Of these, 152 observational or interventional studies were excluded, resulting in 11 eligible systematic reviews. Two were excluded as earlier reports of a Cochrane review. The quality of the reviews was variable (critically low, low, and moderate). The findings were as follows: aesthetics represents a primary motive for orthodontic treatment; a temporary deterioration in the quality of life occurs during the initial phases of treatment; gender and ethnicity factors do not have an impact on patient perception of treatment; and a positive relationship between orthodontist-patient-parent is important to achieve patient compliance and satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a lack of high-quality studies in terms of systematic reviews and meta-analyses for assessing patient perception with fixed appliance orthodontic treatment. The aesthetic impact of malocclusion is the main motive for seeking orthodontic treatment. Quality of life reduces during the initial stages of orthodontic treatment but improves in the later stages of treatment. Assessment before, during, and after orthodontic treatment is necessary to comprehensively assess patient perception at all stages of care.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: CRD42019122653.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None to declare.