This presentation draws upon 42 years of clinical experience and more than 30 years of teaching experience to identify fundamental ideas and concepts that I believe are useful for orthodontic clinicians. These include the impact of facial growth and dental drift on orthodontic treatment results, the application of a combination of scientific reductionism and scientific synthesis to clinical decision making, the importance of avoiding unnecessary treatment, the critical role of stability as a treatment goal, the concept of anatomic compensation as related to treatment planning and finally the role of the orthodontist in a patient's life. Each of these will be illustrated with an example of how the concept/idea applies to daily practice.
Learning Objectives:
After this lecture, attendees will be able to:
Recognize the impact of facial growth and dental drift on orthodontic treatment results.
Apply a combination of scientific reductionism and scientific synthesis to clinical decision making.
Better understand the role of the orthodontist in adolescent patient's lives.
