[Synthesis and evaluation of the clinical approach to growth]

A critical reflection based on literature is presented to the lectures given at the symposium "A clinical approach to growth" at the 73rd Réunion Scientifique of the Société Française d'Orthopédie Dento-Faciale in Deauville, France, on may 13th, 2000. Uncertainty is expressed about the long-term effects on the growth pattern after early surgery in children. It is apparent that conventional dentofacial orthopedics have a limited long-term effect on the growth pattern. Surgical as well as non-surgical (orthopedic) approaches are plagued by complications and relapse. The need for unbiased clinical research and standardized, complete documentation and analysis--also on how/why clinical decisions were taken--seems of utmost importance for a balanced future development of conventional and newly introduced techniques.