Orthodontic pain: from causes to management--a review

Orthodontic pain, the most cited negative effect arising from orthodontic force application, is a major concern for parents, patients, and clinicians. Studies have reported this reaction to be a major deterrent to orthodontic treatment and an important reason for discontinuing treatment. Surprisingly this area, which requires attention in clinical practice as well as in research, is ignored as evidenced by the scarcity of publications on the topic in comparison with other areas of orthodontic research. This review attempts to organize the existing published literature regarding pain, which appears as part of orthodontic mechanotherapy and to address questions that might arise in a clinical setting from the viewpoint of clinicians and patients/parents. It also provides an overview of current management strategies employed for alleviating orthodontic pain.