Time course of the discomfort in young patients undergoing orthodontic treatment

Discomfort may accompany orthodontic movement of teeth. The purpose of this study was to determine the time envelope of discomfort induced in young patients (10-16 years) following placement of orthodontic separators and arch wires. Secondly, psychosocial factors concerning feelings of "self" were investigated. Forty-five experimental and 14 control patients seeking orthodontic treatment were included. A data sheet consisting of several visual analogue scales measuring patient perceptions of dental discomfort and psychosocial factors was used. The results indicated that the experimental group experienced significant discomfort with both separators and arch wires at 4 and 24 hr compared to controls; however, the discomfort dissipated by 7 days. The appearance of the teeth and face were significant factors predicting the patient's perspective of "self." The results have significant clinical implications and these are discussed.