Young people’s experiences of orthodontic retainers: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate young people’s experiences of retainers, the associated impact of retainers on their lives and their perceptions of what influences their own co-operation. DESIGN: Qualitative, cross-sectional study. SETTING: An orthodontic department in a UK dental hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Purposive sampling was used to recruit young people, aged 11–17 years, wearing a range of different types of retainers. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted and transcribed. The resultant data were analysed using codebook thematic analysis. RESULTS: Ten patients were recruited before thematic saturation was achieved. Four themes were identified: impact and experiences of wearing retainers; facilitators and barriers to retainer adherence; finding out about retainers; and, finally, involvement in decisions about retainers. Although some initial negative impacts were described, participants generally adapted quickly to retainers. Several factors were perceived to influence co-operation with removable retainers, including concerns about relapse and the associated waste of personal effort and wider resources. There were perceived deficiencies in the information provided by clinicians, which led participants to seek advice from other sources, including social media. Some young people wanted to be more involved in decisions about their retainers. CONCLUSION: While patients perceived retainers to be easier to wear than active appliances, some transient negative impacts occurred, largely related to initial periods of full-time wear. There were a range of factors which patients perceived to influence their adherence with removable retainers.