Table 1. Descriptive statistics of patient-centered variables of questions 1 and 2 at the five assessment times in the three groups using visual analog scales and the results of the significance testing.

SD: standard deviation; Min: minimum; Max: maximum; T1: after 24 hours of the beginning of orthodontic treatment; T2: after 4 days; T3: after 7 days; T4: after 14 days; T5: after 28 days; FCG: flapless corticotomy group; TCG traditional corticotomy group; NS: There was no statistically significant difference at P > 0.05.

† Employing Mann-Whitney U test. * Statistically significant difference at P < 0.05; ** Statistically significant difference at P < 0.01; *** Statistically significant difference at P < 0.001

	Group	Mean VAS score	SD	Min	Max	P-value†	Significance
Q1: Pain
T1	FCG	14.10	10.63	0.00	31.00	0.010	*
	TCG	34.85	27.70	1.00	100.00
T2	FCG	5.40	4.14	0.00	12.00	˂0.001	***
	TCG	31.55	23.87	3.00	95.00
T3	FCG	3.55	3.35	0.00	10.00	˂0.001	***
	TCG	20.25	21.85	2.00	88.00
T4	FCG	0.90	1.21	0.00	3.00	˂0.001	***
	TCG	6.25	7.45	0.00	29.00
T5	FCG	0.30	0.80	0.00	3.00	0.086	NS
	TCG	2.40	6.40	0.00	29.00
Q2: Discomfort
T1	FCG	22.90	14.31	1.00	52.00	0.021	*
	TCG	47.60	32.13	1.00	100.00
T2	FCG	11.60	8.58	1.00	32.00	˂0.001	***
	TCG	40.45	26.19	1.00	100.00
T3	FCG	6.95	7.25	0.00	22.00	0.004	**
	TCG	25.10	26.19	0.00	100.00
T4	FCG	1.30	2.58	0.00	11.00	0.004	**
	TCG	6.80	8.94	0.00	38.00
T5	FCG	0.50	0.76	0.00	2.00	0.344	NS
	TCG	1.90	4.85	0.00	22.00