Publication:

Factors affecting orthodontic treatment time and how to predict it

Orthodontic treatment time has been associated with certain parameters that can affect the different aspects of treatment regards to the patient and orthodontist. Therefore, a large set of research has focused on studying these factors. Many factors have been proposed in the literature as significant predictors for prolonged orthodontic treatment duration. In general, these factors are related to the patient, orthodontist, procedure, and severity of the underlying condition. Acquiring more knowledge about these factors can help orthodontists speed up the treatment plan, which might enhance the treatment outcomes and enhance the levels of satisfaction. In the current study, we have provided updated evidence regarding the different factors affecting orthodontic treatment time according to evidence from studies in the literature. Many factors were reported, including factors related to the procedure and the underlying condition, and factors related to the patient and orthodontist. Increasing knowledge and experience of the orthodontist might increase the level of satisfaction as it has been reported to significantly reduce the treatment duration. However, this should be accompanied by adequate patient compliance, which was also reported to be a significant predictor for prolonged treatment duration. Investigating the application of recent modalities that can speed up the treatment plan is not adequately validated, indicating the need for future validating studies.