Level of agreement in clinicians' perceptions of Class II malocclusions

To evaluate the extent to which surgeons and orthodontists agree on the nature and severity of dentofacial problems requiring orthognathic surgery, three clinicians active in a specialized clinic for treatment of dentofacial deformities scored the pretreatment records of 37 adult class II patients. Each clinician first indicated whether a skeletal/dental problem existed in the maxilla and mandible and then rated the severity of the problem on a visual analog scale. The level of agreement among the three clinicians was highest for dental problems and lowest for skeletal anteroposterior measures. There was a significant difference among the clinicians in the percentage of patients identified as having a retrusive midface and excessive facial thirds. The agreement on the severity of the problem was generally low even for those patients for whom the clinicians agreed on the type of problem. The data suggest that personal experience and clinical background play a major role in diagnosis and treatment planning. Joint treatment planning conferences between the surgeon and orthodontist offer an opportunity for different plans to be discussed, with the preferred treatment option selected for an individual patient.