Patients' perceptions regarding microimplant as anchorage in orthodontics.
OBJECTIVE
To determine patients' expectations, acceptance, and experience of pain with microimplant surgery compared to other orthodontic procedures.


METHODS
Seventy-eight microimplants were placed in 37 patients as an anchorage unit for orthodontic treatment. Patients were asked to rate anticipated pain and pain experienced with various orthodontic procedures (tooth extraction, insertion of separators, initial tooth alignment, and microimplant surgery) on a visual analog scale (VAS) over a 7-day period. One month after insertion of microimplants, patients were asked to rate their acceptance of the procedure using a structured questionnaire.


RESULTS
Unlike other orthodontic procedures, patients expected to experience a significantly higher level of pain with microimplant surgery than they experienced (P < .001). The postoperative pain experienced decreased continuously from day 1 to day 7 for all orthodontic procedures (P < .05). The total area under the curve (AUC) of pain experienced over the 7-day period was significantly larger for initial tooth alignment than for microimplant surgery (P < .05). Most patients were satisfied with the microimplant surgery (76%) and would recommend it to a friend or family member (78%).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients tended to overestimate the pain anticipated with microimplant surgery. Patients were accepting of the surgery and would recommend it to others.
Lee
Tony C K
TC
Orthodontics, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
McGrath
Colman P J
CP
Wong
Ricky W K
RW
Rabie
A Bakr M
AB
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019540:Area Under Curve; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology*; D015921:Dental Implants; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008904:Miniaturization; D052280:Orthodontic Anchorage Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000523:psychology*; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology
D015921:Dental Implants