Accepted for/Published in: Online Journal of Public Health Informatics
Date Submitted: Oct 31, 2025
Date Accepted: Jan 16, 2026
Date Submitted to PubMed: Jan 22, 2026
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Toward Mini-Implants Among Orthodontic Practitioners in the Kurdistan Region: A Cross-Sectional Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Mini-implants, or temporary anchorage devices (TADs), have transformed modern orthodontic practice by offering stable, minimally invasive anchorage for complex tooth movements. Despite their proven effectiveness, their use varies widely across regions, often influenced by clinicians’ knowledge, confidence, and training.
Objective:
This study explored the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of orthodontic professionals toward mini-implant use in the Kurdistan Region-Iraq and examined how experience and professional background shape their adoption in daily clinical work.
Methods:
A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between April and September 2025 among orthodontic faculty and postgraduate trainees from seven dental colleges in the Kurdistan Region. The validated questionnaire assessed participants’ demographic details and three key domains—knowledge, perception, and attitude—using Likert-scale responses. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 28.0 using Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis, and Spearman’s correlation tests, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05.
Results:
Out of 175 valid responses, 57% were postgraduate trainees and 43% were faculty members. Postgraduates demonstrated significantly higher knowledge and perception scores than faculty (p < 0.05). Younger clinicians and those with less than five years of experience showed greater awareness and enthusiasm for mini-implant use, while senior practitioners tended to be more cautious. Postgraduates favored immediate loading and radiographic guidance, whereas faculty preferred delayed loading and safe angulation techniques. Knowledge, perception, and attitude were strongly correlated—suggesting that better understanding leads to more positive and confident clinical adoption.
Conclusions:
Orthodontists in the Kurdistan Region generally hold favorable views toward mini-implants, yet differences in confidence and hands-on experience remain evident across generations.. Clinical Trial: Not applicable. This study did not involve any clinical trial
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