Skin irritation frequent complication of Orthodontic facemask therapy

Patient age and sex, orthodontic parameters expressing the severity of malocclusion, the presence of complaints in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) areas, and the level of patient cooperation were evaluated. Additionally, the severity and onset time of skin reactions were further analyzed. The results indicated that 43.5% of patients developed skin changes typical of irritant contact dermatitis. Skin irritation was significantly associated with the presence of TMJ complaints and female sex. Furthermore, skin irritation was more common in younger patients. Clinicians should pay special attention to the skin areas that come into contact with the appliance during each follow-up visit to detect potential problems. Moreover, patients and their parents should be given adequate information about the possibility, prevention, and management of skin problems during facemask therapy.

Reference:

Kim, H., Kim, J.S., Kim, C.S. et al. Skin irritation in children undergoing orthodontic facemask therapy. Sci Rep 13, 2200 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29253-0