Individual Consultation – the Way we see it
It used to be a common belief that abnormal tooth and jaw positions would always be diseases or at least advantage the occurrence of diseases.
Today, science has come to a more cautious point of view. Indeed, you can live happily ever after with most tooth and jaw misalignments without having to fear consequences for your dental or general health.
Therefore, it is not appropriate anymore to suggest always and indistinctively a treatment for health reasons to persons seeking orthodontic advice. It is just as illegitimate to push the patients to a very comprehensive maximum treatment even if they were just as contented with small improvements of the front teeth position.
The Essential Thing of Advice: Attention and Time for all Questions
In our office in Mannheim we proceed like this: first, we explain the irregularities of the tooth position opposed to the ideal state.
Then, we show you all the options of orthodontic treatments, which may range from small aesthetic corrections to very comprehensive und long-term treatments. Hereby it is especially important to consider the treatment time, risks, and costs in relation to the benefits of the treatment.
Of course, there is always the option of refraining from orthodontic treatment. The possible damages of a treatment not executed are also discussed in this context. We see our role as agent of information in opposition to that of a salesperson.
Our principles are on the one hand the comprehensive clarification of facts and on the other hand patient’s freedom of choice. We know that orthodontic treatments are usually elective treatments and we stick to that in consulting.
