Comparison of the impact of clear aligner and fixed appliance orthodontic treatment on quality of life: a prospective study

Abstract

<p><strong>Introduction</strong></p><p>This study aimed to compare the impact of clear aligners (CA) versus fixed appliances (FA) on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and pain during the first 6 months of orthodontic treatment.<br></p><p><strong>Methods</strong></p><p>The study included 78 patients, with 40 receiving CA treatment (mean age = 30.12) and 38 receiving FA treatment (mean age = 20.54), all under qualified orthodontists or supervised postgraduate students. To assess OHRQoL, participants completed the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) and OHRQoL-UK forms at pre-treatment, day 7, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months during treatment. To assess pain level, participants completed the visual analogue scale at the first two weeks and the subsequent time points. Data were analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model with a significance level of P < 0.05.<br></p><p><strong>Results</strong></p><p>Both the CA and FA groups demonstrated similar trends for all outcomes. OHIP-14 values increased at day 7 and gradually decreased over the following 6 months in both groups. However, the CA group had significantly lower OHIP-14 values than the FA group at all time points (P < 0.05), indicating better OHRQoL. Both groups showed a significant drop in OHRQoL-UK at day 7, with a gradual increase thereafter. Pain levels in both groups had a significant increase at day 1 followed by a gradual decrease over the following two weeks. No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of pain level and OHRQoL-UK (P > 0.05).<br></p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p><p>The findings suggest that CA and FA have comparable impacts on the OHRQoL and pain of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. Further studies with a larger sample size and longer follow-up periods are warranted to confirm these findings.<br></p>