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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2016 Jun;38(3):266-71.
doi: 10.1093/ejo/cjv032. Epub 2015 Jun 11.

Self-reported pain after orthodontic treatments: a randomized controlled study on the effects of two follow-up procedures

Mauro Cozzani  1 , Giulia Ragazzini  2 , Alessia Delucchi  1 , Carlo Barreca  1 , Daniel J Rinchuse  3 , Roberto Servetto  4 , Maria Grazia Calevo  5 , Vincenzo Piras  6
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Self-reported pain after orthodontic treatments: a randomized controlled study on the effects of two follow-up procedures

Mauro Cozzani et al. Eur J Orthod. 2016 Jun.

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the effects of a follow-up text message and a telephone call after bonding on participants' self-reported level of pain.

Materials and methods: Eighty-four participants were randomly assigned to one of three trial arms. Randomization was performed by the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics of IRCCS G.Gaslini. Participants were enrolled from patients with a permanent dentition who were beginning fixed no extraction treatment at the Orthodontic Department, Gaslini Hospital. Participants completed baseline questionnaires to assess their levels of pain prior to treatment. After the initial appointment, participants were completed a pain questionnaire at the same time, daily, for 7 days. The first group, served as control, did not receive any post-procedure communication; the second group received a structured text message; and the third group received a structured telephone call. Participants were blinded to group assignment.

Limitations: A larger sample size should have been considered in order to increase the ability to generalize this study's results.

Results: Participants in both the telephone call group and the text message group reported lower level of pain than participants in the control group with a larger and more consistent effect for the telephone call group. Most participants reported a higher level of pain during the first 48 hours post-bonding. The analgesic's consumption significantly correlated with the level of pain during the previous 24 hours. Female participants appeared to be more sensitive to pain than male participants.

Conclusions: A telephone follow-up after orthodontic treatment may be an effective procedure to reduce participants' level of pain.

Protocol: The research protocol was approved by the Italian Comitato Etico Regionale della Liguria-sezione 3^ c/o IRCCS- Istituto G.Gaslini 845/2014.

Registration: 182 Reg 2014, 16/09/2014 Comitato Etico Regione Liguria, Sez.3.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Patients’ flow diagram.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Percentage of patients who reported pain during the 7 days after the bonding.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Differences between male and female in the perception of pain during the 7 days after the bonding.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Comparison of the average level of reported pain among the three groups during the 7 days after the bonding.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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