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ABSTRACT
Objectives: The study aimed at evaluating orthodontics and dental emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods: An online-questionnaire survey was developed using google form and sent to orthodontists and dental surgeons in Nepal, practicing during the pandemic. Responses were collected and statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 16.0. Result: It was seen that the most frequently encountered orthodontic emergencies were due to, loose brackets (60%) and poking wires (47.6%) followed by loose bands (31.4%) and debonded loose buccal tubes (30.5%). Most frequently reported dental emergencies were broken or loose removable prosthesis and broken or loose crowns and/or bridges (13.3%) followed by bleeding while brushing (41.9%), swelling due to periodontal origin (33.1%), and severe pain due to tooth decay (44.8%). Conclusion: Loosening of brackets and poking wires were the most frequently reported orthodontic emergencies while, broken or loose prosthesis were reported commonly during the pandemic.
Keywords: orthodontics, dental emergencies, COVID-19, impinging wires, loose brackets, bleeding gums
INTRODUCTION
Dentistry, including orthodontics, requires proximity to patients while performing operatory procedures. Dental healthcare workers, therefore, are at a high risk of acquiring infectious diseases [1]. The fundamental preventive measure during the pandemic lies in filtering of patients who come to the ambulatory. Therefore, a questionnaire should be used to screen patients for potential infection of COVID-19 before they could be led to the dental chair-side, as recently suggested [2].
An orthodontic emergency might be described as a problem arising from an orthodontic appliance, where an unscheduled appointment is required to resolve the issue [3]. When a patient has such an issue, a timely additional appointment may need to be arranged with the practitioner. Patients who present with an orthodontic emergency may experience pain or discomfort. It can also be inconvenient for the patient and/or accompanying parents to come in for an additional, unexpected checkup due to pre-existing lockdown restrictions and fear of infection etc.
Consequently, loss of integrity of a fixed appliance due to repeated breakages may prolong treatment time and can lead to decreased patient motivation due to a loss of confidence in the appliance or the operator. Clinicians must know the frequencies of dental and orthodontic emergencies during this pandemic to understand and take appropriate measures in order to minimize further harm to...