Year : 2023

Volume : Volume 14

Issue : Issue 2

Address for correspondence :
Dr. Dharmendra Kumar Singh
singhdrdk2008@gmail.com

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of duration of fixed orthodontic treatment on decay-missing-filled teeth (DMFT) index.
Materials and Methods: Sixty patients (47 females and 13 males aged between 16 and 20 years) who were undergoing fixed orthodontic
treatment participated in this study. None of the patient required orthodontic tooth extraction. The World Health Organization (WHO) criteria
were utilized to diagnose the carious status (DMFT) of the subjects by a single observer. Subjects were divided into three groups according to
treatment durations (GroupA: 0–18 months, Group B: 18–30 months, and Group C: more than 30 months) and DMFT score was charted at the
start of the treatment (T1) and at completion of the treatment (T2). Results: The mean DMFT score for the study group at T1 and T2 was 2.98
± 1.50 and 5.32 ± 1.76, respectively, which was statistically highly significant (P < 0.001). Although the mean DMFT scores increased for all
GroupA, Group B, and Group C patients from T1 to T2, Group-A witnessed minimal changes in DMFT score, which however was statistically
significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that young patients aged between 16 and 20 years undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment
with treatment extending over 30 months were at higher risk for increase in DMFT index at the completion of the treatment.