The present study aimed to investigate the patients’ perception of the dental practice during the COVID-19 outbreak, and whether the pandemic will affect the attendance of orthodontic patients at the dental practice. An online questionnaire, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), was submitted to Italian dental patients with items about their perceived risks when going to the dentist, concerns about continuing orthodontic treatment, and the onset of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Data were analyzed with a chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05. A total of 1566 subjects completed the survey, including 486 who were under orthodontic treatment or who had a child in orthodontic treatment. A total of 866 participants (55.3%) thought the risk of contracting the COVID-19 infection was higher in a dental practice; this perception was associated with gender (women more than man), age (over 60 years old) and high levels of distress (P<0.001). However, 894 patients (57.1%) felt comfortable going back to the dentist. Most of the orthodontic patients (84%) would continue their treatment. After the lockdown, there was a slight increase in the frequency of TMD pain (356 versus 334). Most of the participants believed that the dental practice is a place at greater risk of contracting COVID-19, even if they continue to go to the dentist. Gender, age, and the level of distress were associated with the increase in the fear of going to the dentist due to COVID-19. Because of the pandemic, 16% of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment would not return to the dental practice to continue their orthodontic treatment after the lockdown. The prevalence of TMD pain in the population increased due to the pandemic.

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意大利牙科患者对COVID-19的看法：正畸观点

本研究旨在调查患者对COVID-19爆发期间牙科实践的看法，以及该流行病是否会影响正畸患者参加牙科实践。已向意大利牙科患者提交了一份在线问卷，其中包括“患者健康调查表4（PHQ-4）”，内容涉及其去看牙医时的感知风险，对持续正畸治疗的担忧以及颞下颌疾病（TMD）的发作。数据用卡方检验和逻辑回归分析进行分析。显着性水平设定为P <0.05。共有1566名受试者完成了调查，包括486位正畸治疗或有孩子正畸治疗的受试者。共有866位参与者（55。3％）认为在牙科诊所中感染COVID-19感染的风险更高；这种感觉与性别（女性多于男性），年龄（60岁以上）和痛苦程度高有关（P <0.001）。但是，有894名患者（57.1％）可以回去看牙医了。大多数正畸患者（84％）会继续接受治疗。锁定后，TMD疼痛的频率略有增加（356比334）。大多数参与者认为，即使他们继续去看牙医，牙科诊所也有患COVID-19的更大风险。性别，年龄和痛苦水平与因COVID-19导致去看牙医的恐惧感增加有关。由于大流行，在锁定之后，接受正畸治疗的患者中有16％不会返回牙科诊所继续进行正畸治疗。由于大流行，TMD疼痛在人群中的患病率增加。