The report is available in English with a a French summary - KCE
The report is available in English with a a French summary - KCE
The report is available in English with a a French summary - KCE
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18 Orthodontics <strong>KCE</strong> Reports 77<br />
2.1.3 Current orthodontic practice <strong>in</strong> Belgium and other Western countries<br />
Traditionally, orthodontic practitioners have assumed that their work enhanced dental<br />
health and function, thus provid<strong>in</strong>g greater assurance for the longevity of the dentition.<br />
Five decades ago, the Brit<strong>is</strong>h Dental Association <strong>in</strong> 1954 gave a def<strong>in</strong>ition of the aims of<br />
orthodontic treatment, stat<strong>in</strong>g "<strong>The</strong> aim of orthodontic treatment <strong>is</strong> to produce<br />
improved function by the correction of irregularities and to create not only greater<br />
res<strong>is</strong>tance to d<strong>is</strong>ease, but also to improve personal appearance, which later will<br />
contribute to the physical well-be<strong>in</strong>g of the <strong>in</strong>dividual". Although the merit of these aims<br />
rema<strong>in</strong>s unquestionable, there <strong>is</strong> still controversy as to which occlusal irregularities<br />
require correction and the <strong>in</strong>terpretation of these aims are still be<strong>in</strong>g debated f .<br />
<strong>The</strong> goal of contemporary orthodontics accord<strong>in</strong>g to Proffit and Fields (2000) g can be<br />
summed up as the creation of the best possible occlusal relationships, <strong>with</strong><strong>in</strong> the<br />
framework of acceptable facial esthetics and stability of the occlusal result.<br />
In the contemporary orthodontic practice <strong>in</strong> Belgium and other Western countries,<br />
some of the current generally accepted <strong>in</strong>dications for orthodontic treatment are:<br />
• prevent<strong>in</strong>g damage to the dentition by trauma<br />
• to camouflage congenitally m<strong>is</strong>s<strong>in</strong>g teeth (by reciprocal d<strong>is</strong>placement of<br />
neighbour<strong>in</strong>g teeth);<br />
• to close diastemata from teeth that were lost due to trauma,<br />
• to upright or spread teeth preprosthetically (so that restorations like<br />
crown and bridgework, or fill<strong>in</strong>gs and other restorations can be made <strong>in</strong><br />
an easier way - or more tooth structure sav<strong>in</strong>g way).<br />
• to desimpact impacted or reta<strong>in</strong>ed teeth<br />
• to make other dental or surgical treatments easier (dental and occlusal<br />
<strong>in</strong>dications)<br />
• to improve function (like speech and mastication)<br />
• to improve the dentofacial appearance (psycho-social <strong>in</strong>dications,<br />
esthetics)<br />
• or a comb<strong>in</strong>ation of the above mentioned<br />
As will be further d<strong>is</strong>cussed <strong>in</strong> section 2.3, there have also been evidenced some<br />
adverse effects or side-effects of orthodontic treatment <strong>in</strong> the last 15 years h , notably<br />
• g<strong>in</strong>gival and periodontal problems<br />
• root resorption<br />
• decalcifications<br />
• non-improvement<br />
• relapse.<br />
Besides these purely orthodontic objectives and <strong>in</strong>dications (as well as possible adverse<br />
effects) <strong>in</strong> 'regular' patients, orthodontic treatment <strong>is</strong> also highly <strong>in</strong>dicated for the<br />
selected age category <strong>in</strong> children (and mostly beyond adulthood) <strong>with</strong> specific congenital<br />
craniofacial conditions of which orofacial clefts are the most prevail<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
f<br />
Shaw W.C and Turbill E.A. (2007). Public Health Aspects of Oral D<strong>is</strong>eases and D<strong>is</strong>orders - Dentofacial<br />
Irregularities. pp 227- 237; Chapter 9f <strong>in</strong> Community Oral Health, Ed: Cynthia P<strong>in</strong>e and Rebecca Harr<strong>is</strong>,<br />
Qu<strong>in</strong>tessence Books, Qu<strong>in</strong>tessence Publ<strong>is</strong>h<strong>in</strong>g Co, Ltd, London, Berl<strong>in</strong>, Chicago et al<br />
g Proffit W. R. and Henry W. Fields, Jr (2000). <strong>The</strong> Orthodontic Problem. Malocclusion and Dentofacial<br />
Deformity <strong>in</strong> Contemporary Society. In Contemporary Orthodontics, 2000; Eds Proffit, <strong>with</strong> Henry W.<br />
Fields, Jr Mosby , St Lou<strong>is</strong>, Philadelphia, et al<br />
h Proffit W. R. and Henry W. Fields, Jr. (2000). <strong>The</strong> biologic bas<strong>is</strong> of orthodontic therapy. In<br />
Contemporary Orthodontics, 2000; Eds Proffit, <strong>with</strong> Henry W. Fields, Jr Mosby , St Lou<strong>is</strong>, Philadelphia, et<br />
al