The impact of replacing removable retainers on the Orthodontic Department

The National Health Service in the United Kingdom currently offers one course of orthodontic treatment for patients who qualify for treatment and will review them for up to 1 year post completion of treatment during which any lost or broken retainers may need to be replaced.At present, these patients are overbooked onto busy clinics carrying several  negative implications for the entire team.

 

To determine the various implications of replacing removable retainers on the Orthodontic Department and to identify possible solutions, a retrospective audit was conducted at the Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust between January and December 2018. The records of 22 patients who required replacement removable retainers were reviewed. The overall cost of fabrication and delivery of a removable retainer was calculated through discussions with trust financial analysts, clinicians and lab technicians.

 

A total of 22 patients were provided with replacement removable retainers. The appointments incurred an average cost of £255 with a patient contribution of only £40. A total of 44 appointments were required, resulting in overbooking of orthodontic clinics leading to significant stress to both the clinicians and lab technicians.