Your unanswered questions - History of Orthodontics & Epidemiology
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posted by CLEyre @ 10/02/2006 04:34:00 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Dr. Law-
It was mentioned in class that the main reason why mandibular crowding occurred was because of mesial drift and progressive mandibular protruding. Wouldn't applying braces or retainer to keep the mandibular teeth straightened OPPOSE the natural movement of mandible like two force vectors equal in magnitude but opposite in directions?
If one must wear ortho braces or retainers, is there any way to figure out an optimum time when the stress is minimized?( i.e. does the degree of mesial drift or/and mandibular protruding increase linearly, exponentially, or randomly with age?)
Thanks,
Jung H Kim( #243 )
I have a question about the irregularity index. What does it measure?
Does it focus on appearance rather than actual intercuspation and contacts?
Is it concerned with rotation or stability of occulsion or both?
thanks,
Mark
292
Hi Tran,
I liked your question and it made me think about the profound oral health disparities that exist in the U.S. While the main reason people might initially seek orthodontic therapy may be esthetics, I see esthetics as just one byproduct of the primary and often unappreciated outcomes of treatment: a stable and functional occlusion. While the body might adjust and compensate for malocclusion, I imagine that the effects from correcting a severe malocclusion on self-perception and esteem have a greater impact on individuals than we think. Unfortunately in a society that places a significant emphasis on how people look: teeth can be a powerful indicator of socio-economic status, which could potentially affect a child’s mental, physical, and social development.
I think as dentists, it will be up to us to educate our patients and our colleagues about the importance of achieving population oral health. We can do this by teaching families that there are many benefits of orthodontic therapy, and looking good is just one of them. To be sure, people living in low income communities may find saving for orthodontic treatment a significant burden, making education even more important for this population. There should be an emphasis on early intervention and treatment. Unfortunately, there is a national shortage of providers who take Medicaid for dental services, primarily because of the low reimbursement rates. As advocates for children, we should continue to talk to our state legislators about increasing the rates for treating children and adolescents from low income communities. Additionally, dentists can also assume more responsibility for caring for the underserved by providing services to young children when the potential for prevention is highest.
Anne Reeves
278
Well said, Anne
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