Objectives: To analyze various caries-related factors in orthodontic patients at de-bonding, and to test the null hypothesis that there is no difference in caries risk between governmental and private orthodontic patients immediately after orthodontic treatment.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional examination was carried out on 89 orthodontic patients aged 13-29 years, mean age 21.5 years. They were divided into two groups based on the center of treatment, governmental group (G) (n = 45) and private group (P) (n = 44). The investigation comprised a questionnaire, plaque scoring, caries examination, bitewing radiographs, salivary secretion rate, buffering capacity, and cariogenic microorganisms. Data were entered into the Cariogram PC program to illustrate caries risk profiles.
Results: Findings revealed that "the chance of avoiding new cavities," according to the Cariogram, was high in the P-group and low in the G-group (61% and 28%, respectively) (P < .001). Decayed, missing, and filled surfaces (DMFS), plaque index, mutans streptococcus and lactobacillus counts, and salivary buffer capacity were significantly higher in the G-group compared with the P-group (P < .05). The total number of caries lesions at de-bonding in the G-group was more than two times higher than that in the P-group (150 vs 68) (P < .001).
Conclusions: The "chance to avoid new cavities" in orthodontic patients at de-bonding was less in the governmental group compared with the private group, as illustrated by the Cariogram. The governmental group also had significantly less favorable values than the private group for most of the caries-related factors.