Perception of the influence of interceptive orthodontic appliances on malocclusions

Abstract

The American Association of Orthodontists explains interceptive orthodontic treatment as an orthodontic therapy that regulates and prevents major occlusal problems in permanent dentition. In Northern Ireland, 1 in 3 children up to the year 2000 benefited from interceptive orthodontics. In Ecuador, it has been proven that its application enhances the creation of a normal occlusal relationship. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of removable appliances used in interceptive orthodontics on malocclusions in children treated at the orthodontic clinics of the 7th and 8th levels of the San Gregorio University of Portoviejo from October 2022 to March 2023. Mixed-method project with a sample of 56 students applying interviews and surveys. Bibliographic collection was carried out through databases: Scielo, Elsevier, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar. The sample was distributed among students from clinics A and B of orthodontics who had undergone interceptive treatments from the 7th level, extending their controls to the 8th level. The most commonly employed appliances were identified as: Hawley plate without attachments 94.6% and Hawley with expander screw 55.40 %. A direct relationship was observed between premature changes in dental malocclusions and interceptive orthodontics: alignments of rotated teeth, palatal expansion, and mild crowding, as well as space preservation in prematurely extracted teeth. At the extraoral level, improvement in lip competence was perceived in 41.1% during periods longer than 3 months. The results suggest a positive influence of removable interceptive orthodontics in the clinics of the USGP