Evaluation of Changes in Oral Epithelium, Inflammation and Candida albicans Infection in Patients using Removable Orthodontic Appliances

Introduction: Nowadays, removable orthodontic appliances are widely used in the treatment of straightening teeth and guided the growth of the jaws. These devices have acrylic parts in which methyl methacrylate monomers are used and have been the subject of discussion in recent years as a cause of epithelial lesions in the oral cavity, and they are considered as one of the factors in mucosal allergies. This study evaluated the changes in oral epithelium, inflammation, and candida albicans in patients using removable orthodontic appliances. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study a total of 100 patients with removable orthodontic appliances was enrolled. Samples were collected from patientsʹ mucosa using swabs and pap smear and then they were stained by the use of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). After data collection bySPSS 14.0, they were analyzed by Fisherʹs exact test followed by the chi-square test at p < 0.05. Results: There was no statistically significant relationship between the use of removable orthodontic appliances and candida albicans infection and inflammation.There was a significant relationship between these two in the both study group (p =0.000) and the control group (p = 0.003). There was no significant relationship between candida albicans and the time of dental appliance use (p=0.1). A significant relationship was observed between inflammation and the length of time of dental appliance use (p =0.028). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the inflammation and candida albicans infection in patients using removable orthodontic appliances were minimal and there were no dysplastic epithelium changes.