Abstract
Orthodontic treatment is not a restorative treatment, but a creative treatment that transforms the patient into a new state. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the goal of treatment before the onset of treatment. Throughout the course of treatment, changes in
1) dentition and occlusion, 2) function, 3) soft tissue profile, and 4) stability after treatment should be closely monitored.
All of these factors should work together and complement each other, resulting in a posttreatment state that is comfortable both biologically and mentally. Naturally, the improvement of the patient's main complaints must also be achieved.
Among these goals, patients who show the open mouth at rest or tension in the upper and lower lips when the lips are closed often recommended tooth extraction. In addition, although it is difficult to maintain the results of orthodontic treatment for the rest of the patient's life because the teeth continue to move over time, extraction is often selected to avoid unnecessary expansion of dental arch and to maintain the mandibular inter-canine width for the best possible post-treatment stability.
With the recent emergence of implant anchors, orthodontic treatment is often discussed from the viewpoint that teeth can be moved freely as if it were a prosthetic design, and the specialty of orthodontics is greatly compromised with the emergence of aligner orthodontics. Orthodontic treatment is a medical treatment built around the body's response to orthodontic forces, so it is not appropriate to talk about orthodontic treatment in the same breath as prosthetic mechanics. As an orthodontist, I hope that the members of the Japan Health Care Dental Association will take this opportunity to revisit their views on orthodontic treatment.
