Extraction of premolars for orthodontic reasons on the decline? A cross-sectional survey of BOS members

ABSTRACTObjective: To obtain the opinion of British Orthodontic Society (BOS) members in relation to possible patterns of prescription of orthodontic extractions over the past 5–10 years and to relate any changes identified to treatment objectives, facial and smile aesthetics, and treatment strategies and adjuncts.Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire.Setting: On-line survey of BOS members.Methods: A 14-item on-line questionnaire was sent to orthodontic practitioners for completion. The questionnaire covered demographics, possible changes in frequency of prescribed extractions with specific information concerning the effect of patient age, and the influence of other factors including alternative approaches to space creation, evolving treatment mechanics, smile and facial aesthetics, and retention protocols.Results: Two hundred and eight responses were obtained with 95.6% (n = 199) reporting reduced extraction prescription over the last 5–10 years. Overall, 29.9% and 35.5% felt that their threshold for ext...