Three different types of 'archwires' can be used in Orthodontic treatment, wire choice is decided by treating Orthodontist based on professional preference since research shows that all types are equally effective. It is possible that one type of wire engenders more patient discomfort. This study will compare the discomfort levels engendered by the three wire types to determine if there is one that induces the least amount.
Orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances has the potential to induce pain in patients. At the beginning of treatment, the orthodontist must determine which initial orthodontic archwire to insert. Among the more popular choices for initial leveling and aligning of the dental arches are small-sized, round-diameter nickel-titanium archwires. Various types of nickel-titanium (NiTi) archwires exist including stabilized martensitic wires (ie classic Nitinol), active austenitic wires (superelastic NiTi) and active martensitic wires (thermoelastic NiTi). The efficacy of these wire types has been heavily researched with no significant differences in the alignment timing of the dentition (treatment time to reach the final archwire). Pain differences from these wires has been inconclusive from conflicting past studies. It is of critical importance to determine whether one or more of these archwires leads to more discomfort for the patient than the others.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
126
Placement of 3M Unitek 0.016 archwire for orthodontic treatment
Placement of 0.016" Ormco 27oC NiTi orthodontic archwire
Placement of 0.016" Ormco 35oC NiTi orthodontic archwire
University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine
Aurora, Colorado, United States
RECRUITINGPain score via Visual Analogue Score
The primary outcome is the change in pain experienced by the study participant over the first week of therapy after insertion of the archwire. Pain is assessed by asking the study participant to place a mark on a horizontal 100 mm line to indicate the level of pain being experienced. The left end of the line is no pain where the right end is maximum (unimaginable) pain. The specific pain indicated is in the number of millimeters from the left end of the line. This is called the Visual Analogue Score (VAS) where the higher the number the more intense the pain. The difference in VAS pain scores from the initial VAS after archwire insertion (1 hour) to each measurement time (4 hour, 24 hour, 4 day and 7 day) over 7 days will indicate the change pain experience for each study participant. For each time point the mean and standard deviation of the change in VAS pain scores for the experimental groups will be calculated and compared for statistically significant differences.
Time frame: 1 hour, 4 hour, 24 hour, 4 day and 7 day
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