Impact of orthodontic appliances on patients’ daily lives: a comparison between clear aligners and fixed appliances - Volume 30 - Number 5 - Online

Sep 30, 2026

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This study compared how clear aligners versus conventional fixed orthodontic appliances affect patients’ daily lives over two key intervals: the first six months and the last six months of treatment. A total of 112 adult participants completed the Dental Impacts on Daily Living (DIDL) questionnaire with 36 items across five domains: appearance, pain, comfort, general performance, and eating/chewing. Analyses used descriptive statistics with the Mann-Whitney test and Fisher’s exact test.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages27

Reading Time1 h 8 min

AccessFree to download

ABSTRACT

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Volume 30-Number 5-Online ORIGINAL ARTICLE [https://doi.org/10.1590/2177-6709.30.5.e252562.oar](https://doi.org/10.1590/2177-6709.30.5.e252562.oar) Impact of orthodontic appliances on patients’daily lives: a comparison between clear aligners and fixed appliances Priscilla Carvalhal de OLIVEIRA1 [https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3749-3625](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3749-3625)[ ](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3749-3625)Beatriz de Souza VILELLA1 [https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5412-6037](https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5412-6037)[ ](https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5412-6037)Mariana MARTINS E MARTINS1 [https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1237-1947](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1237-1947)[ ](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1237-1947)Cláudia Trindade de MATTOS1 [https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5975-0680](https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5975-0680)[ ](https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5975-0680)Vanessa de Couto NASCIMENTO2 [https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1349-7151](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1349-7151)[ ](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1349-7151)Oswaldo de Vasconcellos VILELLA1 [https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6931-3094](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6931-3094) Submitted: March 28, 2025 • Revised and accepted: July 15, 2025 [pricarvalhal@hotmail.com](pricarvalhal@hotmail.com) How to cite: Oliveira PC, Vilella BS, Martins e Martins M, Mattos CT, Nascimento VC, Vilella OV. Impact of orthodontic appliances on patients’ daily lives: a comparison between clear aligners and fixed appliances. Dental Press J Orthod. 2025;30(5):e252562 . Editor-in-Chief: Matheus Melo Pithon / Associate Editor: Felícia Miranda (1) Fluminense Federal University, School of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics (Niterói/RJ, Brazil) . (2) Veiga de Almeida University, School of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics (Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil) . Dental Press J Orthod. 2025;30(5):e252562 2 OlapivpleiiraancPCeso, VnilepalltiaeBSnts,’Madairtlyi nlisvees:Martina coms Mpari,sMoanttos CbetweTe,nNaclscimear aleingto VnersCa,VndilelfixlaedOVap—pliImpacancest of orthodontic ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to compare the impact of treatment with clear aligners versus conventional fixed appliances on the daily lives of orthodontic patients during the first six months and the last six months of treatment. Methods: The study involved 112 adult patients who were divided into four groups. All participants completed the“Dental Impactson Daily Living”(DIDL) questionnaire, which included 36 questions and covered five domains including appearance, pain, comfort, general performance and eating/chewing. Descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney test were used to analyze the total the scores for each domain, while Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the groups regarding the frequency of “dissatisfied”,“relatively satisfied”, and“satisfied” responses. Results: The results showed no significant differences (p>0.05) in the total scores or in the scores for each domain, except for the“General performance/Interpersonal relationship” domain during the initial and final phases of treatment with fixed appliances, indicating that patients adapted to the appliance over time. The initial phase of treatment with fixed appliances presented the highest percentage of dissatisfaction. Conclusion: Both treatments showed a decrease in the level of dissatisfaction reported by patients between the initial and final stages, indicating that adaptation is a crucial factor in the impact of orthodontic appliances on patients’daily lives. Therefore, orthodontists must be especially attentive to the needs of patients in the period immediately after the device is installed. Keywords: Orthodontic appliances. Removable. Orthodontic appliances. Fixed. Quality of life. Dental Press J Orthod. 2025;30(5):e252562 3 OlapivpleiiraancPCeso, VnilepalltiaeBSnts,’Madairtlyi nlisvees:Martina coms Mpari,sMoanttos CbetweTe,nNaclscimear aleingto VnersCa,VndilelfixlaedOVap—pliImpacancest of orthodontic INTRODUC

FAQs

What was the objective of the study?

To compare the impact of clear aligners versus conventional fixed appliances on orthodontic patients’ daily lives during the first and last six months of treatment.

How was the study conducted and what instrument was used?

The study included 112 adult patients divided into four groups. All participants completed the DIDL (Dental Impacts on Daily Living) questionnaire covering five domains.

What were the main findings about patients’ quality of life?

No significant differences were found between treatments for most DIDL scores, but the general performance/interpersonal relationship domain differed across treatment phases with fixed appliances. Dissatisfaction decreased from the initial to the final stages in both groups, indicating adaptation over time.

Sep 30, 2026

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