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Removable retention: enhancing adherence and the remit of shared decision-making

British Dental Journal volume 230, pages 765–769 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Patient adherence to removable retainer wear is integral to the long-term success of retention regimes. We discuss the factors influencing removable retainer wear, the methods of gauging wear levels, approaches to enhance adherence and the quality of online available information concerning retention. The potential value of patient involvement in approaches to retention within a shared decision-making framework and motivational interviewing are also highlighted.

Key points

  • Adherence to removable retainer wear is multifaceted but undoubtedly onerous in the longer term.

  • Subjective assessment of retainer wear is unreliable, being invariably overestimated.

  • Approaches to enhancing compliance and long-term outcomes including shared decision-making and motivational interviewing, as well as the nature and impact of online and electronic resources, are also presented.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University through the Fast-track Research Funding Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK

    Dalya Al-Moghrabi

  2. Orthodontic Department, Leeds Dental Institute, Clarendon Way, Leeds, UK

    Sophy Barber

  3. Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK

    Padhraig S. Fleming

Authors
  1. Dalya Al-Moghrabi
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  2. Sophy Barber
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  3. Padhraig S. Fleming
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Correspondence to Dalya Al-Moghrabi.

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Al-Moghrabi, D., Barber, S. & Fleming, P. Removable retention: enhancing adherence and the remit of shared decision-making. Br Dent J 230, 765–769 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-2951-x

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