Evaluation of Weight Alteration in Patients Undergoing Orthodontic Treatment in KIST Dental Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Fixed orthodontic treatment is the most favoured treatment of choice for young individuals nowadays who are motivated to improve their appearance. Fixed orthodontic treatment usually takes around 1.5 to 3 years for its completion, and during this duration, many dietary restrictions and modifications are advised. The changes in dietary patterns might result in an increase or decrease in weight. This present study was conducted to assess the amount of weight loss in patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment.

Materials and Methods: The height and weight of the study participants was measured using a stadiometer and a digital weighing scale, respectively. The Body Mass Index (BMI) of each individual was calculated. These measurements were taken four times during the duration of the study; the first measurement was collected pretreatment, the second measurement in 1st follow-up after starting fixed orthodontic treatment; the third measurement was collected in 2nd follow-up i.e. after 2 months, and the fourth measurement was collected in 3rd follow-up, which was done after 3 months of starting treatment. The results were tabulated and analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS). The mean changes between different parameters in three visits were compared.

Results: When we compared the pretreatment weight and weight at the 1st follow-up statistically significant difference was observed. Similarly, the difference in pretreatment weight and weight at the 3rd follow-up was found statistically significant. The difference in pretreatment BMI and BMI at the 2nd follow-up was statistically not significant. Similarly, the difference in pretreatment BMI and BMI at the 3rd follow-up was also statistically not significant.

Conclusion: This study confirms the reduction in weight seen in patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment in the first month after initiation of treatment. If the nutritional demand and the intake can be monitored during the treatment, proper health can also be maintained in the long run along with the proper treatment outcome.