Impact of Bracket Design and Oral Hygiene Maintenance on Halitosis in the Orthodontic Patient

The advantage of self-ligating brackets on periodontal health has yet to be determined. In addition, the utilization of tongue scraping as an adjunct to traditional oral hygiene measures has yet to be studied in orthodontic patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of bracket type on plaque accumulation and also the impact of the appliance on oral malodor. In addition, the effect of tongue scraping on halitosis will be studied in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. We hypothesize that self-ligating brackets will harbor less plaque than normal brackets, that tongue scraping will significantly decrease halitosis in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment and that patients with self-ligating brackets will exhibit less halitosis as measured by halimeter.