Patients' perception of installation, use and results of orthodontic mini-implants

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient acceptance and perception of pain with regard to orthodontic mini-implants. The study was conducted on 58 individuals undergoing orthodontic treatment, who had orthodontic mini-implants placed as anchorage devices. Data were collected using a questionnaire containing 6 questions evaluating perception of pain during mini-implant placement and during use, difficulty with cleaning, unaesthetic appearance, difficulty with eating and benefits observed. Data were tabulated and analyzed using Fisher and Spearman's Correlation Coefficient tests. It was found that 94.8% of the patients reported that they would be willing to undergo treatment with mini-implants again. Of the negative aspects evaluated, the most significant was discomfort during placement, while the least significant was difficulty with eating. Patients' perception of aspects related to mini-implants was shown to be independent of the quantity of these devices placed. Although the patients evaluated some aspects of mini-implants negatively, the mean score for benefits observed was very high, indicating good patient satisfaction with treatment.