Topic: Keeping a bright smile during treatment with braces: Oral hygiene for the orthodontic patient

Abstract:

The risk of enamel decalcification and damage to periodontal supporting tissues are long recognized as problems during orthodontic treatment and remain major concerns, especially in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances. Fixed appliances encourage dental biofilm accumulation as bands, brackets, orthodontic wires and accessories act as plaque traps. Moreover, in this environment meticulous tooth brushing and interproximal care become a much more difficult and time-consuming process that requires skill and dexterity to complete efficiently. Thus, the presence of orthodontic appliances increases biofilm retention and as its accumulation persists, a shift from aerobic to anaerobic supragingival and subgingival periodontal flora occurs and inflammatory responses may be elicited that can be recognized clinically as deterioration in periodontal clinical parameters. In specific parameters indeed, this deterioration may be only partially reversed as far as 2 years after appliance removal. Furthermore, under certain conditions, a cariogenic environment may develop, and enamel decalcification can also be observed. It is the purpose of this presentation to present in an evidenced based manner the current level of knowledge and the recent advances regarding oral hygiene in the orthodontic patient.

Learning objectives: 

• The participant will be able to recognize the oral health risks associated with the microbiome during orthodontic treatment.
• The participant will be able to identify the contemporary evidence-basis and the recent advances regarding oral hygiene practices for the orthodontic patient.
• The participant will be able to interpret the necessary behavioral approaches regarding oral health promotion for the orthodontic patient.

Meet the speaker: 

Eleftherios Kaklamanos graduated from the School of Dentistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where later he undertook his orthodontic training and gained an MSc. He also possesses a Master of Arts in Healthcare Management degree and a Certificate in Preventive Dentistry. His PhD thesis was undertaken at the School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki on mandibular condyle development.

He is currently Associate Professor of Orthodontics at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he is involved in all aspects of postgraduate orthodontic education. He also the Editor-in-Chief of the “Hellenic Orthodontic Review”.

His main research interests are in the assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of various orthodontic treatment modalities, the patient-reported aspects of malocclusion and its treatment, as well as the effects of drugs and the various physiological or pathological conditions on the response to orthodontic force.

Dr. Kaklamanos published several peer-reviewed articles across different disciplines and has given numerous lectures at national and international conferences. View profile 

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