Abstract
BACKGROUND: The temporary anchorage devices (TADs) are presently a viable and popular treatment option for orthodontics all over the world. However, there is a lack of investigation and research on its application among orthodontists in China. This study aims to explore factors influencing temporary anchorage devices usage and compare current perspectives and usage patterns between orthodontic specialists and general dentists, thereby establishing new consensus and guiding future improvements. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using a multi-center structured questionnaire was designed. The Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: Respondents were from 30 provincial-level regions. Most doctors had relatively rich clinical experience in orthodontics, with 65.70% working for over 10 years. Respondents reported a relatively high usage rate (87.54%) and satisfaction with TADs (93.85%). The analysis result showed Chinese orthodontists who received more TADs training (P < 0.01), had higher educational attainment (P < 0.01), and used more clear aligners (P < 0.01) tended to use TADs more frequently. About 95.90% of respondents believed TADs helped achieve higher treatment goals, 68.23% agreed they could shorten treatment duration, and 51.82% believed they reduced the probability of orthodontic-orthognathic treatment. Differences in the understanding of indications for TADs, improvement method of TADs can be observed between orthodontic specialists and general dentists (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Chinese orthodontists were relatively active in using TADs. The factors most closely associated with TAD usage included related training, the type of orthodontic appliances used and the highest educational attainment. Orthodontic specialists and general dentists might had differing perspectives regarding TADs, but they tended to follow similar management procedures.