Retention Protocols and Factors Affecting Retainer Choice among Iraqi Orthodontists

Table 2

Selection of retention protocol (%).

	Gender		Work sector			Practice (years)				Total
	M	F	Private	MOH	College	<5		5–10	>10
Q4) Selection of a retention system mostly depends on
Original malocclusion	88	70	88	55	53	84		82	77	80
Oral hygiene and patient motivation	10	20	7	41	29	10		13	17	14
Patient age	2	9	4	3	12	4		5	4	5
Request of parents/patient	0	2	1	0	6	2		0	1	1
Q5) Case you find most susceptible to relapse and need a longer retention period
Cl II div 1	10	1	7	3	0		14	4	3	6
Cl II div 2	3	1	3	0	0		6	0	1	2
Cl III	3	0	2	3	0		2	0	3	2
Teeth spacing	58	60	63	52	35		38	76	60	59
Teeth rotation	17	7	12	14	18		28	9	7	13
Open bite	9	30	13	28	47		10	11	26	18
Deep bite	1	0	1	0	0		2	0	0	1
Q6) Type of retainer commonly used in the upper arch
Hawley	3	4	3	10	0		8	2	2	4
VFR	41	21	36	24	18		46	36	23	32
Fixed retainer	26	6	21	3	18		12	29	14	18
Hawley and fixed retainers	13	9	13	7	0		6	9	15	11
VFR and fixed retainers	17	61	28	55	65		28	24	46	35
Q7) Type of retainer commonly used in the lower arch
Hawley	2	1	1	3	0		2	4	0	2
VFR	25	10	20	17	12		40	9	13	19
Fixed retainer	59	29	54	21	24		36	60	45	47
Hawley and fixed retainers	1	13	6	10	0		6	7	5	6
VFR and fixed retainers	13	46	19	48	65		16	20	37	27
Q8) Factors influencing the choice of a retention protocol
Knowledge gained from orthodontic books	16	46	20	62	47		20	24	36	28
Clinical experience	57	39	57	28	24		28	62	54	50
Knowledge and skills gained in postgraduate studies	21	13	20	3	24		44	11	8	18
Knowledge gained from the Internet	6	1	3	7	6		8	4	2	4
Q9) Adjudicative treatment you frequently use to increase stability
Over correction	48	60	52	66	35		44	64	51	53
Interproximal stripping	25	11	23	3	12		40	16	10	19
Circumferential incision	17	12	17	10	6		12	16	16	15
None	10	17	7	21	47		4	4	23	13
Q10) Type of retainer mostly preferred by your patients
VFR retainer	40	30	40	31	12		52	42	24	36
Fixed retainer	49	34	45	38	29		16	51	52	43
Hawley retainer	2	0	1	0	0		4	0	0	1
Combination of VF and fixed retainers	7	30	10	28	59		24	7	18	17
Combination of Hawley and fixed retainers	3	5	4	3	0		4	0	5	4

M, male; F, females; MOH, Ministry of Health; VFR, vacuum-formed retainer.