Eficácia de um aplicativo móvel no monitoramento de dor, ansiedade, motivação e saúde periodontal em pacientes submetidos a tratamento ortodôntico

Abstract

Mobile technology and its applications have been widely used by dental surgeons in management and planning, but are poorly suited for monitoring patients after dental intervention. Pain and discomfort are practically inevitable during orthodontic movement, which can lead to high levels of anxiety, demotivation, loss of appointments and lower adherence to treatment. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile application with educational multimedia, aimed at smartphones, on the perception of pain, degree of anxiety, motivation, and monitoring of gingival health in a sample of orthodontic patients. A two-arm, randomized-controlled, parallel, double-blind prevention clinical trial was conducted involving 47 patients older than 18 years of age who started fixed orthodontic treatment in two Specialization Courses in Orthodontics, with access to a smartphone-like mobile phone, without a history of orthodontic treatment. The participants were randomly divided into two groups (intervention and control), followed for a period of 90 days. Participants in the intervention group received an application that included educational video media and oral hygiene instructions, as well as oral and written standardized care and hygiene guidelines during orthodontic treatment. The control group received only standard oral and written care and hygiene guidelines during orthodontic treatment. Humanistic outcomes were pain, anxiety and motivation before the installation of the orthodontic appliance and 24 hours, 48 hours, 7 days, 30 days and 90 days after the installation of the appliance. As clinical outcomes, the rates of bacterial plaque and gingival bleeding were evaluated by a blind group examiner before the installation of the fixed appliance and after 30 days and 90 days. The present study showed no effects of the use of the application on the perception of pain, but a significant reduction in anxiety levels was observed among those with experience of pain in previous dental treatment. Patients in the intervention group also presented increased motivation throughout the treatment, especially among younger patients with previous experience of pain. The risk of plaque accumulation in the intervention group was reduced 30 days after the installation of the orthodontic appliance. It was concluded that the use of the educational mobile app reduced anxiety levels, increased motivation and decreased the risk of plaque accumulation in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment, especially among younger patients with a previous history of pain during dental treatment.