Journal of Orthodontics & Endodontics

Development of a Tool to Assess Adherence in Adult Patients Undergoing Orthodontic Treatment

Introduction: Although ensuring adherence to orthodontic treatment among adult patients is challenging, orthodontists rarely or only poorly record patient adherence.

Aim: Here, we developed a patient adherence tool and evaluated orthodontists’ attitudes toward it and as its actual use in clinical practice.

Materials and Methods: Thirty-six orthodontists in a London teaching dental hospital used the tool in daily clinical practice to record patient adherence. The orthodontists provided self-report regarding the tool’s usability and applicability, and we assessed their actual adherence to using the tool.

Results: All orthodontists provided positive feedback about the tool, stating that it was useful, efficient, good in its current form, and suitable for documenting patient adherence. Nearly 70% of the orthodontists also stated that they would use the tool in their daily clinical practice. However, their behavior contrasted with their self-reported positive attitudes. Although initial adherence to the tool was 89.3%, its use during follow-up visits for the same patient was low (11%).

Conclusion: The orthodontists in this study reported positive attitudes toward the use of the developed patient adherence tool, and thus, it can be a promising tool for monitoring adherence to orthodontic treatment in adult patients. However, its routine use in daily clinical practice needs to be carefully implemented and supported.

Author(s):

Nawaf Al-Shammary

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