Pain Perception and Rate of Canine Retraction Through Self-Ligating Brackets and Conventional Elastomeric Ligation System: A Split Mouth Study

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the rate of tooth movement and the pain perception via self-ligating (SL) and conventional elastomeric ligation brackets (CB) system. Material and Methods: This study has been conducted at the Orthodontic Department of Baqai Dental College, Baqai Medical University. The sample size of this study comprised 40 patients, falling between the age of 12-30 years without any sex discrimination. Shapiro-Wilk was used to check the distribution of data. Non-parametric Mann Whitney U test was applied to evaluate the pain associated with SL and CB brackets system. To analysis the canine retraction Wilcoxon test was applied for the comparison of CB and SL brackets system. For all statistical analyses, the p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Pain level associated with retraction via CB and SL shows significant differences. However, the rate of canine retraction via CB and SL shows no significant differences at stages T0-T1 and T1-T2. However, stage T2-T3 shows a significant difference. Conclusion: As pain during orthodontic treatment is mostly associated with the level of compression of the periodontal ligament, it may be hypothesized that lower frictional forces generate less compression of the periodontal ligament and blood vessels, and so alter the type of pain experienced.

Effect of a single dose of low-level laser therapy on spontaneous and chewing pain caused by elastomeric separators.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to see the effect of a single dose of low-level laser therapy on spontaneous and chewing pain after the placement of elastomeric separators. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients were randomly selected for this single-blind study. Elastomeric separators were placed mesial and distal to the permanent first molars in all quadrants. Both arches were divided into experimental and control sides. The experimental sides were treated with low-level laser therapy on 3 points on the buccal mucosa for 20 seconds each, with a 940-nm gallium-aluminum-arsenic diode laser on continuous mode and power set at 200 mW. The other side received placebo laser therapy without turning on the laser. A numeric rating scale was used to assess the intensity of spontaneous and chewing pain for the next 7 days. The independent sample t test and repeated-measures analysis of variance with the post hoc Tukey test was used to analyze the results. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in spontaneous and chewing pain among both groups (P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A single dose of low-level laser therapy can be an efficient modality to reduce the postoperative pain associated with the placement of elastomeric separators.