Smartphone Application Based Reminder Therapy in Orthodontic Patients

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This randomized control trial was performed to asses the efficiency of smartphone application based reminder therapy on plaque control and oral hygiene at two points in time.

Detailed Description
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This randomized controlled trial was performed to assess the effect of the smartphone application based reminders for oral hygiene reinforcement on orthodontic patients. Methods: 60 orthodontic patients were randomly allocated to either control or experimental group (30 each). Experimental groups received reminders twice a day by a smartphone application. Plaque scoring was done by using Turesky modified Quigley-Hein plaque index (TMQHPI) at baseline(T0), after 2 weeks(T1) and after 6 weeks(T3). Results: Significant difference in plaque scores was found at T2(6 weeks), but no significant difference was found at T1(2 weeks). Conclusions: Active smartphone-based reminder therapy for oral hygiene maintenance during fixed appliance orthodontic treatment decreases the plaque scores in patients in medium to long term

Official Title
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Effectiveness of Smartphone Application Based Brushing Reminder Therapy for Plaque Control in Orthodontic Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Conditions
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Orthodontic Appliance Complication

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Smartphone application based reminder


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: - A total of Sixty (60) patients between 12-30 years of age undergoing fixed appliance therapy were included in the study. All the participants had to be in at least 4 weeks of active orthodontic therapy with fixed appliances in all the quadrants of the oral cavity. Further inclusion criteria were familiarity with smartphone and a personal smartphone with Android version ≥ 6.0 or iOS version ≥ 10 operating system, good general and dental health (no active caries, no advanced gingivitis, or periodontitis needing periodontal therapy), with no history of smoking or any other form of tobacco use, no antibiotic or chlorhexidine containing mouth rinses used within two weeks of screening. Exclusion Criteria: - Patients with prosthesis in the mouth and those taking antibiotics, anti-epileptics, anti-hypertensives and immunosuppressive medications were excluded from the study.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 12 Years
Maximum Age: 30 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Randomized Control Trial
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Experimental group<br> | Other: Smartphone application based reminder<br>* Brushing reminders were given to the patients in experimental group through a smartphone application twice daily<br>* Other names: Routine oral hygiene instructions;|
| No Intervention: Control group<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plaque index score | Turesky modified Quigley-Hein plaque index (score: minimum=0 maximum=5. worsening with increase in score from 0-5) | 0 weeks ( at T0) | 
| Plaque index score | Turesky modified Quigley-Hein plaque index (score: minimum=0 maximum=5. worsening with increase in score from 0-5) | 2 weeks ( at T1) | 
| Plaque index score | Turesky modified Quigley-Hein plaque index (score: minimum=0 maximum=5. worsening with increase in score from 0-5) | 6 weeks (at T2) | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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oral hygiene, smartphone application, plaque index