Evaluation of Tailored Electronic Reminders on Compliance With Removable Orthodontic Retention
Condition: Retention; Compliance; Orthodontic; Periodontal Health
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Participants will be recruited for inclusion at a routine adjustment appointment prior to
      planned removal of the appliances. Following removal of the appliances, consenting
      participants will be randomly allocated to one of two groups by computer-generated random
      allocation. Allocation will be concealed from the treating clinician using of an opaque
      sealed envelope system. Standard stone model records will be available for all participants
      following removal of the appliances (T0).

      Participants in both groups will have follow-up scheduled for 3 (T1), 6 (T2) and 12 (T3)
      months following removal of the braces. All participants will be instructed to wear standard
      clear, plastic (Essix-type) retainers on a full-time basis for 6 months, followed by
      night-time wear for a further 6 months. A micro-electronic timer will be integrated within
      the upper Essix-type retainer. All participants will be given standard advice at each recall
      visit.

      Participants in the intervention group will receive tailored electronic reminders in the form
      of a mobile application. The frequency and content of the reminders will be informed by
      qualitative interviews involving participants from an allied trial, and from posts related to
      orthodontic retainers shared on social media. Instructions on the necessary duration of
      retention, maintenance of retainers, departmental details, allied to advice on appropriate
      management for appliance breakages, and delineation of the implication of suboptimal retainer
      wear will be included. Also, information related the debond visit and maintenance of optimal
      oral hygiene levels will be incorporated in the mobile application. Participants in the
      control group will not receive additional reminders. Treating clinicians will be kept blind
      to the study group.

      All patients failing an appointment will be sent another. Those wishing to withdraw from the
      trial may do so at any point without affecting continuing care with records taken at the
      point of withdrawal from the study with data analysis on an intention to treat basis.

      Thereafter, patient experiences with electronic reminders will be evaluated on a subset of
      participants using one-to-one interviews.
    

Detailed description: 
      Details related to the intervention:

      Participants in the intervention group will receive access to the 'My Retainers' mobile
      application via a unique identification code. The researcher will demonstrate the use of the
      mobile application with a brief description of its features. Participants in the control
      group will not have access to the mobile application.
    

Intervention name(s): Electronic reminder
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): The frequency and content of the reminders will be informed by the qualitative findings of an ongoing trial, but are likely to include an intra-oral photograph taken pre-treatment and following removal of the active appliances, instructions on the necessary duration of retention, advice on maintenance of retainers, departmental details, advice on appropriate management for appliance breakages, and delineation of the implication of suboptimal retainer wear. Also, information related to the debond visit and maintenance of optimal oral hygiene levels will be incorporated in the mobile application.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment