Periodontal Health Changes During Lower Anterior Crowding Treatment With a Modified Inman Appliance: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objective This study investigated periodontal health changes in adult patients with mild crowding, undergoing treatment with a modified Inman appliance. Materials and methods This prospective cohort study involved 16 malocclusion patients (4 males and 12 females; mean age 21.94 ± 2.26 years) with mild crowding. Participants were treated using a modified Inman appliance. Plaque Index (PI), Gingival Index (GI), and Papillary Bleeding Index (PBI) were measured at four assessment times: before treatment (T0), two weeks (T1), one month (T2), and two months (T3) after appliance placement. Results All three indices (PI, GI, and PBI) exhibited significant differences across the assessment times (p < 0.001). Pairwise comparisons revealed significant differences in most cases (p ≤ 0.0125), with exceptions primarily observed in comparisons involving T2-T3. Conclusions Periodontal health can be negatively affected during orthodontic treatment due to the difficulty of maintaining optimal oral hygiene with the modified Inman appliance. This can lead to increased plaque accumulation and a subsequent rise in periodontal indices. However, these changes typically remain within acceptable limits. Patient-specific factors, such as oral hygiene practices, significantly influence the extent of these changes, emphasizing the importance of diligent oral care throughout treatment.