ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Med.
Sec. Family Medicine and Primary Care
Impact of continuity of care in under the model of healthcare integration on treatment outcomes and prognostic recovery of orthodontic patients
Provisionally accepted
- Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China
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Malocclusion is one of the most serious oral problems following dental caries and periodontal disease. Although orthodontic treatment can effectively improve these problems, improper care often leads to poor orthodontic results or complications such as gingivitis because of the long treatment period. This study aimed to investigate the effect of continuity of care under the integrated model of health care on the treatment efficacy and prognosis of orthodontic patients' recovery. This study used a randomized controlled design. From June 2022 to December 2022, 68 patients who received orthodontic treatment in our hospital were selected as the control group, and from January 2023 to May 2023, 68 patients were selected as the intervention group. The control group received conventional care, while the intervention group received continuity of care under the integrated care model, including the establishment of an integrated care team, training of team members, psychological care, dietary care, oral care, health education, and regular follow-up. The results showed that the plaque index (PLI) and gingival index (GI) of patients in the intervention group were significantly better than those of the control group (P<0.05). The incidence of gingivitis, gingival hyperplasia, and gingival bleeding in the intervention group was also significantly reduced. In addition, compared with the control group, patients in the intervention group showed significant improvement in self-management ability, compliance, and psychological health, and higher nursing satisfaction. In conclusion, continuity of care under the integrated healthcare model significantly improved the periodontal health status of orthodontic patients, enhanced their self-management ability and psychological health, reduced complications, and increased nursing satisfaction, which is worthy of promotion and application in clinical practice.
Keywords: complications, continuity of care, Healthcare integration, Mental Health, Orthodontic, Treatment outcomes
Received: 21 May 2025; Accepted: 27 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Wu, Du and Miao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Qifeng Miao, mqfeng66@163.com
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