Objectives: To evaluate changes in the gingival thickness (GT) and keratinized gingival width (KGW) of the maxillary and mandibular central and lateral incisors and canines after fixed orthodontic treatment and their association with sagittal tooth movement (STM). Materials and Methods: In this study of both arches, 60 periodontally healthy subjects who had completed fixed orthodontic treatment were included. Using pretreatment and posttreatment lateral cephalograms, STM of the maxillary (1-NA angle and distance, and 1-SN angle) and mandibular (1-NB angle and distance, and IMPA angle) incisors were evaluated to divide the subjects into protrusion and retrusion groups. Pretreatment and posttreatment GT was identified via transgingival probing, and KGW was calculated from the free gingival margin to the mucogingival junction. Results: The intragroup pretreatment and posttreatment comparison results showed a significant decrease in the GT of the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth in the protrusion and retrusion groups and a decrease in the KGW of the maxillary lateral incisors in the protrusion group. Pearson correlation coefficient analyses for maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth revealed that the GT changes were not significantly associated with STM. However, a positive correlation existed between the KGW of tooth numbers 13 and 41 and STM. Conclusions: STM was not significantly associated with decreased GT of the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth, but it was positively correlated with the KGW of tooth numbers 13 and 41.

Turkish Journal of Orthodontics, turkjorthod

Background: We evaluated anxiety, pain, and oral-health-related quality of life in individuals treated with conventional fixed appliances (Group A) and clear aligners (Group B) for moderate malocclusion during the initial phase of orthodontic treatment. Methods: Sixty individuals, separated into Group A (n = 30) and Group B (n = 30), were included in the study. They completed the Anxiety Levels, Oral Health Impact Profile-14, and Oral Health Related Quality of Life - United Kingdom/Surveys after the application of attachments on days 0 (T1), 10 (T10), and 20 (T20). Their pain levels were evaluated with the Visual Analogue Scale on days 0, 2, and 6 in the 2nd and 6th hours and on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 21st days. Results: Per the VAS questionnaire, pain levels in the 2nd hour, 6th hour, 1st day, and 3rd day were significantly lower in Group B than in Group A. In the OHIP-14 survey results, the comparison between Group A and Group B showed a significant difference only on the 1st day. The STAI and OHRQoL-UK survey results did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusions: We found no significant difference between the two groups in terms of anxiety levels, and pain among individuals in Group A was higher than in Group B only at the beginning of the treatment. No significant differences were observed in terms of individuals’ quality of life. Trial registration: NCT06133296 (retrospectively registered)- Registration Date:15/11/2023.