Objectifying treatment of malocclusion

Area of Science:

• Dental ethics
• Orthodontic treatment standards
• Clinical practice controversies

Background:

• The clinical practice of dentistry faces ethical challenges, particularly concerning malocclusion treatment.
• Disagreements exist regarding the quality and sufficiency of malocclusion care among orthodontists, pediatric dentists, and general dentists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the ethical dilemmas in malocclusion treatment delivery.
• To highlight the 'turf battles' and potential ethical issues in managing malocclusion.
• To advocate for the establishment of objective standards of care.

Main Methods:

• Review of ethical considerations in dental practice.
• Analysis of treatment modalities for malocclusion.
• Presentation of clinical research to illustrate the ethical dilemma.

Main Results:

• Controversies in malocclusion treatment approaches create ethical challenges.
• Lack of standardized care contributes to ethical dilemmas.
• Clinical research underscores the need for defined ethical guidelines.

Conclusions:

• Objective standards of care are necessary to uphold ethical values in patient treatment.
• Standardized approaches can mitigate ethical conflicts in malocclusion management.
• Further research and consensus are needed to define ethical practice in orthodontics and pediatric dentistry.