Comparison of Patient Satisfaction with Hawley and Vacuum-formed Retainers

Hawley and vacuum-formed retainers, the latter with the commercial trademark of “Essix”, are commonly used for retention after orthodontic treatment. The present study aimed to compare patient satisfaction with Hawley and Essix retainers. This clinical study was conducted on 90 patients aged 14-25 years who underwent fixed orthodontic treatment and required retainers. The selected patients were divided into three groups based on the retention protocols. In the first group, Hawley retainers were used for four months full time and then night-only. The patients in the second group (Essix4M) used Essix retainers for four months full-time and then night-only. In the third group (Essix1W), the patients used Essix retainers for one week full-time and then night-only. Patient satisfaction was assessed using questionnaires one week and eight months after applying the retainers. Data analysis was performed in SPSS at the significance level of P Total score of patient satisfaction based on the completed questionnaires was higher in the Essix1W group after one week of retention compared to the other groups, while the difference between the groups was not significant (P=0.885). After eight months of using the retainers, the total score of patient satisfaction was higher in the Hawley group compared to the other groups, while the difference between the groups was not considered significant in this regard (P=0.118). According to the results, there was no significant difference in patient satisfaction between the Hawley and Essix groups (with different wear-time protocols). However, the insignificant differences in this regard indicated that the Essix1W protocol was more accepted at short-term intervals, whereas long-term satisfaction was higher with the Hawley retainers