Anything goes
1
Anything goes Thank you for the editorial in the September issue (Turpin DL. Doctors, not company policies, decide how to treat. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2009;136:303-4). I am afraid, though, that you are just touching the tip of the iceberg. We seem to be in an era of orthodontics that I can only call the ‘‘anything-goes’’ treatment time. Any age, any appliance, get something in their mouths—anything goes. We have collec- tively abdicated our diagnostic decision making to our friendly salesperson. With the bagels and cream cheese that he or she delivers monthly, we also get a diagnostic regimen and subse- quent appliances to support it. Outcome measures, such as function, esthetics (both facial and dental), and stability, have been lost or conveniently forgotten. Until the ABO and AAO leadership steps up and says that enough is enough, I am afraid the downward spiral will continue. We will cease to be a specialty and become a commodity. I have great concerns for the profession I love. I have a son in dental school who is considering fur- thering his education and pursuing a masters degree in orthodontics. Is it worth another $225,000 when our specialty comes down to expander, phase 1, phase 2, and life-long retention? Well, you asked for e-mails! Dennis Ward Avon Lake, Ohio Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2009;136:760 0889-5406/$36.00 Copyright Ó 2009 by the American Association of Orthodontists. doi:10.1016/j.ajodo.2009.10.011 Corrections Regarding ‘‘State of the art of miniscrew implants: An in- terview with Sebastian Baumgaertel’’ by Robert P. Scholz and Sebastian Baumgaertel (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2009;136:277-81), the authors’ conflict of interest statements were inadvertently switched. Dr. Baumgaertel is a consultant for Dentaurum and Dr. Scholz reports no commercial, propri- etary, or financial interest in the products or companies described in that article. Regarding ‘‘Cephalometric study of slow maxillary expansion in adults’’ by Yanli Cao, Yanheng Zhou, Yang Song, and Robert L. Vanarsdall, Jr (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2009;136:348-54), the first author’s affiliation infor- mation should be the Department of Orthodontics, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Peking University, Beijing, China. 760 Readers’ forum American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics December 2009
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Corrections
Regarding ‘‘State of the art of miniscrew implants: An in-terview with Sebastian Baumgaertel’’ by Robert P. Scholz andSebastian Baumgaertel (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop2009;136:277-81), the authors’ conflict of interest statementswere inadvertently switched. Dr. Baumgaertel is a consultantfor Dentaurum and Dr. Scholz reports no commercial, propri-etary, or financial interest in the products or companiesdescribed in that article.
Regarding ‘‘Cephalometric study of slow maxillaryexpansion in adults’’ by Yanli Cao, Yanheng Zhou, YangSong, and Robert L. Vanarsdall, Jr (Am J Orthod DentofacialOrthop 2009;136:348-54), the first author’s affiliation infor-mation should be the Department of Orthodontics, School &Hospital of Stomatology, Peking University, Beijing, China.
760 Readers’ forum American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
December 2009
Anything goes
Thank you for the editorial in the September issue (TurpinDL. Doctors, not company policies, decide how to treat. AmJ Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2009;136:303-4). I am afraid,though, that you are just touching the tip of the iceberg. Weseem to be in an era of orthodontics that I can only call the‘‘anything-goes’’ treatment time. Any age, any appliance, getsomething in their mouths—anything goes. We have collec-tively abdicated our diagnostic decision making to our friendlysalesperson. With the bagels and cream cheese that he or shedelivers monthly, we also get a diagnostic regimen and subse-quent appliances to support it. Outcome measures, such asfunction, esthetics (both facial and dental), and stability,have been lost or conveniently forgotten.
Until the ABO and AAO leadership steps up and saysthat enough is enough, I am afraid the downward spiralwill continue. We will cease to be a specialty and becomea commodity. I have great concerns for the professionI love. I have a son in dental school who is considering fur-thering his education and pursuing a masters degree inorthodontics. Is it worth another $225,000 when ourspecialty comes down to expander, phase 1, phase 2, andlife-long retention?
Well, you asked for e-mails!Dennis Ward
Avon Lake, OhioAm J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2009;136:760
0889-5406/$36.00
Copyright � 2009 by the American Association of Orthodontists.
doi:10.1016/j.ajodo.2009.10.011
