Fashion braces services in the perspective of students in a northern secondary school

Abstract

This qualitative research aimed to study students’ opinions on fashion braces service in a northern secondary school. Key informants were seven secondary students having fashion braces experience. In-depth interviews, observations, and focus group discussion were used to gather the information in three main issues of service types, provision, and access during October 2016 through February 2017. The fashion braces service was categorized into two types which were fixed and removable appliances. The fixed appliance was divided into four subtypes which were bracket or O-ring, chain, colored tube, and wire types. The removable appliance as retainer was divided into 2 subtypes of with and without pink acrylic part. Their providers were their school fellows and young women having shops near the school. As the students’ perception, they both used same brace technique but differed in experiences, prices, and promotion. The students used criteria choosing the service which were friendly provider, high performance, and equipments were ready to respond their demands; sufficient services; easily travel to service place; convenient appointment could be easily made; and payable prices comparing to expensive dentists’ orthodontic services.