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Sayers MS, Newton JT J Orthod 2007; 34: 25–35

There is little good information on what young patients expect before receiving orthodontic treatment. In this study, 50 patients (age 12-14), and one parent of each, completed a previously validated questionnaire prior to orthodontic consultation.

Similar proportions of parents and children agreed on most questions. Parents had significantly lower expectation of an appliance at the first visit, and children expected greater restrictions on what they could eat or drink. Children also expected a quicker completion of treatment.

There were also significantly different responses from White and non-White children. White children considered an appliance at the first visit to be very unlikely, headgear to be less likely, and the appliance unlikely to be painful. Non-White children also were more expectant of a short duration to treatment, a positive attitude to their appliance from others, and improved speech ability following treatment. Parents too had some differences according to ethnic group.