Non-completion of active orthodontic treatment

This paper reports a retrospective study of patient factors which might be associated with failure to complete orthodontic treatment in a hospital and in a specialist practice. Case records of patients commencing treatment were examined and targeted for further investigation by mailed questionnaires. There was a statistically significant difference in the discontinuation rate between the two groups of patients. Precise reasons for the differences could not be isolated, but did not appear to be related to the age of the patient at the start of treatment.