A Clinical Guide to Orthodontics - J. Sandy WW.pdf

PRACTICE
IN BRIEF
● This series of articles is designed to aid in the orthodontic evaluation of patients
● Not every lusion needs orthodontic treatment
● Not every patient is suitable for treatment
● Understanding the treatment benefit for the patient is important
● GDPs have an important role to play in assessing the need for orthodontic treatment 1
VERIFIABLE
CPD PAPER
Orthodontics. Part 1: Who needs orthodontics?
D. Roberts-Harry1 and J. Sandy2
There are various reasons for offering patients orthodontic treatment. Some of these include
improved aesthetics, occlusal function and the long-term dental health.
es from the Greek words With these different definitions of what con-
ORTHODONTICS ‘orthos’ meaning normal, correct, or straight stitutes lusion, there is, not surprisingly a
1. Who needs and ‘dontos’ meaning teeth. Orthodontics is degree of confusion as to what should be treated
orthodontics? concerned with correcting or improving the and what should not. Although some tooth posi-
2. Patient assessment and position of teeth and correcting any lu- tions can produce tooth and soft tissue trauma, it
examination I sion. What then do we mean by occlusion and is important to remember that lusion is
lusion? Surprisingly the answer is not not a disease but simply a variation in the nor-
3. Patient assessment and
examination II straightforward. There have been various mal position of teeth. Essentially, there are three
attempts to describe occlusion using terms such principal reasons for carrying out orthodontic
4. Treatment planning
as ideal, anatomic (based on tooth morpholo- treatment:
5. Appliance choices gy), average, aesthetic, adequate, normally
6. Risks in orthodontic functioning and occlusion unlikely to impair 1. To improve dento facial appearance
treatment dental health. 2. To correct the occlusal function of the teeth
7. Fact and fantasy in
orthodontics
8. Extractions in
orthodontics
9. Anchorag