Accidental debondings: Buccal vs fully individualized lingual multibracket appliances

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• Orthodontic treatment involves full multibracket appliances placed on either the lingual or buccal surfaces of teeth.
• Bond failures (BFs) are a common complication in orthodontic treatment, potentially impacting treatment duration and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the frequency and location of bond failures (BFs) in patients treated with lingual versus buccal full multibracket appliances.
• To establish a benchmark for expected BFs during the initial year of orthodontic therapy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patient records from three orthodontic practitioners.
• Data collection focused on the first year of treatment for patients using either lingual or buccal appliances.
• Statistical analysis included Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney U, and Fisher exact tests (P <0.05).

Main Results:

• No significant difference in the mean number of BFs per patient in the first year between lingual (2.63) and buccal (2.61) appliance groups.
• Molar attachments showed a higher incidence of BFs compared to premolar brackets, which in turn had more BFs than anterior brackets in both groups.
• No significant differences in BFs were observed based on sex or practitioner.

Conclusions:

• A mean of 2.62 BFs per patient can be anticipated in the first year of orthodontic treatment, irrespective of appliance type (lingual or buccal).
• This established benchmark is crucial for patient communication regarding potential treatment complications and financial planning due to interindividual variability in BFs.