Treatment time for surgical-orthodontic cases: a private versus public setting comparison

Objective: To evaluate the duration of combined orthodontic and orthognathic surgical cases treated either in the public or private health system in Western Australia.

Methods: The clinical records of 100 patients from the Orthodontics Department from the University of Western Australia Dental School and 100 patients from a private orthodontic practice in Perth, Australia who received combined surgical-orthodontic treatment were retrospectively assessed. Three statistical models were applied to explore the associations between treatment time (total, pre-surgery and post-surgery), clinical setting and extractions.

Results: Total treatment time was shorter in the private setting: 18.8 months for non-extraction and 22.0 months for extraction cases, and longer in the public university setting: 24.5 months for non-extraction and 27.7 months for extraction cases. Pre-surgical treatment time was shorter in the private setting: 13.1 months for non-extraction and 17.1 months for extraction cases, and longer in the public university setting: 17.1 months for non-extraction and 21.1 months for extraction cases. Post-surgical treatment time was shorter in the private setting: 5.5 months and longer in the public university setting: 7.1 months.

Conclusion: In a Western Australian health system, the treatment duration of combined orthodontic and orthognathic surgery cases is longer in the public university setting than in private practice.