Objective: To compare the effectiveness of ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and chewing gum for orthodontic pain relief and to assess if chewing gum can be a non-pharmacological alternative for orthodontic pain relief. Methods: The study enrolled 106 patients of both sexes, aged ≥ 12 years, with body weight > 50 kg, and mild-to-moderate dental crowding in the upper arch. After randomization and allocation concealment, the intervention groups were either administered with ibuprofen (400 mg) or acetaminophen (500 mg) or chewed sugar-free chewing gum immediately after initial archwire placement and every 6 hours for 1 week if the pain persisted. The control group did not receive any pain relief. The pain was assessed on a 100-mm visual analog scale at rest and while biting down at T1 (2 hours), T2 (24 hours), T3 (2 days), T4 (3 days), T5 (7 days), and T6 (21 days). Statistical analyses were performed using the Kruskal–Wallis and post-hoc Mann–Whitney U tests (α = 0.05). Results: The chewing gum group experienced more pain relief than the ibuprofen group at while biting down at T3 (p = 0.04) and at rest at T4 (p < 0.001). The chewing gum group reported more pain relief than the acetaminophen and control groups while biting down at T3 (p = 0.03 and p = 0.0006, respectively) and T4 (both p < 0.001). Conclusions Chewing gum can be a non-pharmacological alternative for orthodontic pain relief at 2 and 3 days after initial archwire placement.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and chewing gum for orthodontic pain relief and to assess if chewing gum can be a non-pharmacological alternative for orthodontic pain relief. Methods: The study enrolled 106 patients of both sexes, aged ≥ 12 years, with body weight > 50 kg, and mild-to-moderate dental crowding in the upper arch. After randomization and allocation concealment, the intervention groups were either administered with ibuprofen (400 mg) or acetaminophen (500 mg) or chewed sugar-free chewing gum immediately after initial archwire placement and every 6 hours for 1 week if the pain persisted. The control group did not receive any pain relief. The pain was assessed on a 100-mm visual analog scale at rest and while biting down at T1 (2 hours), T2 (24 hours), T3 (2 days), T4 (3 days), T5 (7 days), and T6 (21 days). Statistical analyses were performed using the Kruskal–Wallis and post-hoc Mann–Whitney U tests (α = 0.05). Results: The chewing gum group experienced more pain relief than the ibuprofen group at while biting down at T3 (p = 0.04) and at rest at T4 (p < 0.001). The chewing gum group reported more pain relief than the acetaminophen and control groups while biting down at T3 (p = 0.03 and p = 0.0006, respectively) and T4 (both p < 0.001). Conclusions Chewing gum can be a non-pharmacological alternative for orthodontic pain relief at 2 and 3 days after initial archwire placement.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify possible risk factors for external apical root resorption (EARR) in the maxillary incisors after orthodontic treatment. METHODS: The root length of 2,173 maxillary incisors was measured on periapical radiographs of 564 patients who received orthodontic treatment. The Kappa test was performed to evaluate intraexaminer and interexaminer reproducibility. Multiple binary logistic regression was used to determine the association between EARR and various factors. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were reported. RESULTS: The risk of developing EARR was 70% higher in orthodontic treatment with maxillary premolar extraction (p = 0.004), 58% higher in patients with increased overjet (p = 0.012), 41% lower in two-phase orthodontic treatment (p = 0.037), and 33% lower in patients with deep bite (p = 0.039). The lateral incisors were 54% more likely to develop EARR (p < 0.001), dilacerated roots were 2.26 times more likely to develop EARR (p < 0.001), and for each additional millimeter of root length, the risk of EARR increased by 29% (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The potential risk factors for EARR after orthodontic treatment included treatment with maxillary premolar extraction, increased overjet at the beginning of treatment, and dilacerated roots.