The limitations of orthodontic treatment

There is probably nothing in the orthodontist's diagnostic repertoire that will precipitate an adrenaline rush faster than a first examination of a mixed dentition patient who has an obvious skeletal problem. Everyone present in the examination room expects the doctor to manage the problem with some gadget...the same way that produced favorable results for the three playmates in the neighborhood who originated the referral. But intellectually, the clinician knows conventional treatment may not be in this individual's best interest and must intuitively develop a definition of "The Limitation of Orthodontic Treatment."