Patient compliance with Hawley retainers fitted with the SMART(®) sensor: a prospective clinical pilot study.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the compliance of patients while wearing maxillary Hawley retainers embedded with SMART microsensors.

METHODS

The sample population consisted of 22 patients who were divided into an experimental (group A) and a control group (group B). Group A was informed that they would be monitored through the use of SMART microsensors, while group B was not informed that they would be monitored. After the delivery of the retainers (T0), the patients were evaluated at T1 and T2, represented by 6- and 12-week follow-up visits, respectively. At T1, group B was informed of our ability to monitor their compliance. Both groups continued wearing their retainers during T1 to T2.

RESULTS

During T0-T1, Group A wore their retainers for an average of 16.3 hours (SD 4.39), while group B wore their appliances for an average of 10.6 hours (SD 5.36, t  =  2.426, P  =  .027). Although group B increased their retainer wear by 0.5 hours/day from T1 to T2, this increase was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite significant differences being noted between the two groups at T1, group B did not show significant mean changes in their wear time before and after becoming aware of the use of the SMART microsensor.