[Medical responsibility in dentomaxillofacial orthodontics]

Whilst the vital prognosis is rarely threatened in dento-maxillo-facial orthopaedic procedures, the responsibility of practitioners involved in this discipline is nevertheless an everyday consideration from both a medical as well as an orthodontic standpoint (1 and 2). Although the number of actions brought with the Social Security, the Ordre des Medecins and the courts remains limited, it is reasonable to expect a predictable worsening of the situation due to the recent increase in the complexity of monodisciplinary and multidisciplinary techniques, in particular in adults (3). The prevention of complications and accidents must obviously be based upon solid professional training and increased vigilance in the surveillance of treatment.