MANAGEMENT OF PAIN DUE TO ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT

Abstract

Experience of pain is common during Orthodontic treatment. Various treatment modalities have been suggested in the literature to reduce Orthodotic pain. These include pharmacological methods of pain control & non pharmacological methods such as Trans electrical nerve stimulation, low level laser therapy, chewing on a plastic wafer, cognitive behavior therapy, gene therapy etc.Orthodontist should use his clinical judgement to select the most appropriate method to control pain. 
Introduction 
Experience of pain due to various Orthodontic procedures is common. Tayer & Burek in their survey on adult patients found that pain & discomfort is the most discouraging aspect of the treatment.1In one study it was shown that 8% of the study population discontinued the treatment because of pain.2 Orthodontic pain is perceived by patients due almost all procedures such as separator placement, banding, arch wire ligation, t loop activation, intermaxillary elastics, debonding etc.