Orthodontic retention patterns in the United Kingdom

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Dental Materials Science

Background:

• Orthodontic retention is crucial for maintaining treatment outcomes.
• Understanding factors influencing retainer choice is important for clinical practice and material development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of orthodontist demographics (gender, age) and practice setting on retainer selection in the UK.
• To analyze current retention patterns for a common malocclusion (Class II division 1).

Main Methods:

• A postal questionnaire was distributed to 301 orthodontists in the UK.
• 240 orthodontists (80% response rate) reported their retention regimes across various practice settings (private, NHS, hospital, community).

Main Results:

• Vacuum retainers were most common in NHS and hospital settings; Hawley retainers in community practice.
• Bonded retainers were significantly more prevalent in private practice (P<0.004).
• While not statistically significant, trends suggested gender and age influenced bonded retainer use in specific arches.

Conclusions:

• Retainer choice is significantly influenced by practice setting, with private practices favoring bonded retainers.
• Vacuum retainers are widely used across NHS, hospital, and private settings.
• Demographic factors like gender and age appear to have a limited impact on overall retainer preference.