Comparison of treatment duration and pain perception with K9 spring and Mini-implant supported K-9 spring (MISK-9) for palatally impacted canines: A retrospective study

Background: To evaluate the treatment duration, and pain perception of patients with palatally impacted maxillary canines during disimpaction using the K9 and MISK-9 springs. Materials and Methods:Records of 108 palatal canine impactions were searched from the departmental archives and 37 patients with unilateral maxillary canine impaction records were taken into the final sample.Group 1 comprised 19 canine impactions managed with K9 spring, and Group 2 comprised 18 canine impactions treated with mini-implant supported K9 spring.The evaluation of treatment duration was done from start of orthodontic treatment till ligation of canine into full slot archwire.Pain perception was evaluated on a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS) at 6-time intervals.An unpaired t-test was used to compare the groups.Results: The total duration for the impacted canine to be ligated into full slot archwire was 433.13 ± 41.97 days and 289.21± 54.07 days for group 1 and group 2 respectively and was statistically significant.The mean VAS scores for group 1 and group 2 were 6.13 ± 0.74 and 4.28 ± 0.99 at the time of spring ligation respectively.The scores were reduced in both the Groups from T1 to T2 and T2 to T3 but significantly higher in Group 1 than the Group 2 (P =.05).Conclusions: MISK-9 spring results in a significant reduction total in treatment time as compared to the conventional K9 spring.The initial pain perception was also less in comparison with the K9 spring.