Aligners- The Choice of New Generation: A Questionnaire Based Survey of Dental Students on Aligner Treatment Protocol

Abstract

Aim: The present survey was conducted to evaluate the awareness about Orthodontic aligners and perception about the treatment modalities that can be performed with them among dental students.

Materials and Method: This is a web based survey and the questionnaire consisted of 19 questions which were sent to 245 dental students studying at Karnavati School of Dentistry, Uvarsad, Gandhinagar through Google Forms.

Results:  A total of 245 students completed the survey out of which 38 were males and 207 were females. 138 were undergraduate students and 62 were interns. Chi square test was used to evaluate the responses of dental students followed by Cramer’s V test to determine the strength of association. The results showed that females were more aware about the aligner therapy than their male counterparts and were more inclined to choose aligners as a treatment of choice. Among undergraduates and interns, interns were more knowledgeable regarding the aligner therapy and the treatments that could be performed using the same.

Conclusion: Survey concluded that most dental students have knowledge regarding aligners, purpose of aligners, treatments possible with aligners, better maintenance using aligners, etc. Dental students preferred aligners over braces with females being more aware of the same.