A cross‑sectional study into the reasons behind orthodontic re‑treatment.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to identify the motivations behind orthodontic re‑treatment in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross‑sectional study performed through a patient questionnaire. The questionnaire elicited data on the respondents’ socio‑demographic data, type of previous orthodontic treatment, retention, satisfaction level, and reasons for undergoing orthodontic re‑treatment. RESULTS: Four hundred and nineteen responses were received during the study period from June to July 2022. The result showed a pre‑dominant female predilection (83, 29%), with the majority belonging to the 21–25 age group (47.26%). Most participants had had one previous orthodontic treatment (77%), with an active treatment time of approximately 1–3 years (55.85%). There was no significant difference between the satisfaction of outcomes after the initial treatment and at the time of the survey. Most participants received retention appliances (69.45%) and were informed about the importance of appliances. The type of retention was mainly removable retainers (47.5%). Around one‑third of the sample (31.98%) were interested in seeking orthodontic re‑treatment, with self‑motivation as the primary drive and improving the smile as the predominant reason. CONCLUSION: The study’s findings show that a large portion of the population is seeking orthodontic re‑treatment, which must be considered. Self‑motivation was a driving force rather than external motivation. The most common reason for seeking orthodontic re‑treatment was to improve their smile and the increased esthetic demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]