Users' perceptions and preferences towards maxillary removable orthodontic retainers: a crossover randomized clinical...

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Dental Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Maxillary removable retainers are crucial for maintaining orthodontic treatment outcomes.
• User perception and preference significantly influence retainer compliance and effectiveness.
• Limited comparative data exists on user experiences with different types of removable retainers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare user perceptions and preferences among four types of maxillary removable retainers: conventional wrap-around (CWA), wrap-around with anterior opening (OWA), "U" wrap-around (UWA), and clear thermoplastic (CT).
• To assess correlations between user perceptions of retainer features and overall preference.

Main Methods:

• Nineteen volunteers used each of the four retainer types sequentially for 21 days with 7-day washout periods.
• User perceptions (speech, discomfort, esthetics, occlusal interference) were evaluated using a 100-mm visual analogue scale.
• Statistical analysis included repeated measures ANOVA, Friedman tests, and Pearson/Spearman correlations.

Main Results:

• Wrap-around (WA) retainers (CWA, OWA, UWA) showed similar, favorable perceptions and preferences among users.
• Clear thermoplastic (CT) retainers were rated significantly worse for speech, discomfort, and occlusal interference (p < 0.001).
• CT retainers did not significantly differ in esthetics but were significantly less preferred than WA retainers.

Conclusions:

• Wrap-around (WA) retainers are significantly preferred over clear thermoplastic (CT) retainers due to superior comfort and speech intelligibility.
• The occlusal coverage of CT retainers appears to be a primary factor contributing to negative user perceptions and rejection.
• Findings support the use of WA retainers for improved patient satisfaction and compliance in orthodontic retention.