Abstract :
Background: With orthodontic patient demographics expanding to involve more adults, the demand for
esthetic appliances is greater and orthodontists are keen on offering their patients more discreet and even
invisible options. Lingual orthodontics is a very viable field which offers all this, and it is noteworthy that
more and more orthodontists in India are practicing the craft.
Aim: This questionnaire based survey aims to assess the knowledge and application of Lingual
Orthodontics among Orthodontists in their routine clinical practice in India.
Methodology: A sample of 157 participants (orthodontists) was taken after assessing the sample size within
the age group of 27 - 50 years of age. The participants comprised of orthodontists practicing in various parts
of India. A Questionnaire was created on Google forms and circulated to participants using various social
media platforms. The data of responses of participants were analyzed and evaluated with the help of pie
charts.
Results: This survey analyzed the knowledge and application of Lingual Orthodontics among Orthodontists
in their routine clinical practice in India. The results highlighted certain key points ; Majority of the
Orthodontists in India did not practice Lingual Orthodontics and if a patient demanded Lingual braces,
majority of the Orthodontists convinced them for conventional braces. Majority of the Orthodontists also
reported of not being comfortable practicing Lingual Orthodontics and were not even certified as trained
Lingual Orthodontists. They reported of facing certain problems like long treatment duration, more frequent
patient visits, increased appointment duration, increased breakages and increased patient discomfort. Most
of the participants suggested that conventional braces were better than Lingual braces and they also felt that
Lingual Orthodontics took up a lot of clinical chair side time. Maximum participants reported of frequently
using conventional braces in their routine clinical practice. They also felt that there was a need to conduct
increased awareness and training programs in lingual Orthodontics and a whopping majority also believed
that Lingual Orthodontics had now become obsolete.
Conclusion: This questionnaire based survey clearly helped in analyzing the knowledge and application of
Lingual Orthodontics among Orthodontists in their routine clinical practice in India. Increased awareness
and training programs in lingual Orthodontics need to be conducted in India as there were very few
Orthodontic clinicians practicing lingual Orthodontics in routine practice.
Keyword :
Lingual Orthodontics, Knowledge and attitude Questionnaire, Survey, Clinical practice.