Comparing Air-Polishing With Erythritol to Ultrasonic Cleaning for Preventing White Spot Lesions and Gingivitis During Fixed Orthodontic Treatment in Patients Aged 12 to 16 Years

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to compare the effectiveness of an air-polishing device using erythritol powder with the standard ultrasonic scaler in preventing white spot lesions WSLs and gingivitis in young patients undergoing multi-bracketed fixed orthodontic treatment. It addresses the increased risk of WSLs and gum inflammation during such orthodontic care and tests whether the air-polishing device as monotherapy can reduce these issues. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups one receiving subgingival cleaning with an air-polishing device every month for 2 years, and the other undergoing ultrasonic scaling every six months for the same period. Both treatments follow manufacturer procedures, with the air-polishing device using erythritol powder. The study is a single-center, randomized clinical trial lasting approximately 3 years with a 2-year participation duration per patient. Participants will undergo clinical exams and sample collections before, during, and after orthodontic treatment. Assessments include the prevalence of WSLs measured by Quantitative Light-induced Fluorescence QLF, gingivitis evaluation with clinical parameters, bacterial counts from subgingival samples, and inflammatory markers in gingival crevicular fluid. These evaluations and sample collections occur every 6 months. The study also tracks bracket debonding and total treatment time, supporting comprehensive monitoring during the trial.

Air-polishing With Erythritol During Orthodontic Tretament