Effect of teledentistry on the oral health status of patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment at the first three follow-up visits.

BACKGROUND: As the prevalence of such oral diseases as dental caries and periodontal problems increases during fixed orthodontic treatment, patient education is an essential aspect of any such treatment. Two methods have been proposed for this purpose: direct education in a clinic (the conventional method); and education using social media, such as the Telegram application (a type of teledentistry). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of teledentistry as an educational tool on the oral health status of patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment at the first 3 follow-up visits. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty participants were enrolled from patients whose fixed orthodontic treatment was to begin at a dental clinic in Tehran, Iran. They were randomly assigned to one of 2 trial arms. At the end of the 1st appointment, one of the groups was educated in person about maintaining oral hygiene during treatment, and an educational clip was sent to the members of the other group via the Telegram application. During the next 3 follow-up appointments, plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), and gingival color and consistency were analyzed for each patient to assess their oral hygiene compliance during treatment. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in PI and BOP between the 2 groups at the 3rd and 4th appointments; however, gingival color and consistency did not differ significantly with regard to the manner of education (p > 0.05). Patient age did not have a considerable effect on the oral health status in either group (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Teledentistry is an effective and efficient method to improve oral hygiene in patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment.