Orthodontic emergencies in a postgraduate clinic: a retrospective analysis

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the frequency, causes, and temporal distribution of orthodontic emergencies at the Department of Orthodontics, University of Oslo. METHODS: All appointments coded as emergencies from 2015 to 2022 were reviewed and manually screened. Emergencies were classified into three categories: (1) during active treatment, (2) during retention, and (3) miscellaneous. A negative binomial generalized linear regression model was used to assess annual and monthly variations. Chi-square tests for independence were applied to analyze relationships between age group and year, gender and year, and reason for emergency. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Out of 7206 records screened, 3592 met the inclusion criteria, involving 1657 patients - 685 males (41.3%) and 972 females (58.7%). The mean number of emergencies per patient was 2.2, with no significant year-to-year variation in gender distribution. The most common age groups were 10-14 years and over 20 years. Annual emergency numbers ranged from 313 in 2015 to 638 in 2022, with statistically significant variation. Monthly variation was also significant, with July consistently having the fewest emergencies (p < 0.001). Most emergencies occurred during active treatment (n = 2021), followed by the retention phase (n = 1353), and miscellaneous reasons (n = 218). The most frequent causes were issues related to full fixed appliances and fixed retainers. CONCLUSIONS: No consistent pattern of orthodontic emergencies was observed, indicating that operator experience, the stage of postgraduate training, and seasonal fluctuations are likely the key influencing factors.