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So Smile! - A Guide to Straightening Up the Confusion, Concern and Catastrophes Around Orthodontic Treatment
of: Sarah Dan
Michael Hanrahan Publishing, 2018
ISBN: 9781925648515 , 200 Pages
Format: ePUB
Copy protection: DRM
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So Smile! - A Guide to Straightening Up the Confusion, Concern and Catastrophes Around Orthodontic Treatment
Introduction
There are many reasons I’ve written this book.
While I’ll cover these in detail in the body of the text, I feel it’s important to touch on them in this introduction. The primary reason I decided this book was important to write is because I want mums, who are often the people responsible for making the decisions around orthodontic care, to know what’s needed to get the best smile for their kids without breaking the bank. And I want them to have the information they need, presented in language that is easy to understand, empowering them to make the best possible decision. Quite simply, this book is intended to take away the concerns and confusion that lead to orthodontic catastrophes and cause mums like me to worry themselves silly about whether they’ve done the right thing.
Why is this important?
It’s important because I feel people are being taken advantage of, particularly in the realm of orthodontic treatment.
How do I know this?
I know it because every day I see mums and their kids who:
Have signed up for orthodontic treatment they don’t understand
Have received over treatment for their child’s condition
Have felt confused about why they’re having treatment
Are overwhelmed by the cost of orthodontic treatment
Feel pressured to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ and have orthodontic treatment, sometimes even when they don’t need it.
This phenomenon didn’t happen overnight. Rather, it has happened by stealth, over time, and in the context of a whole host of other changes in dental care delivery, the industry, and the way treatment is marketed. General societal changes in values around appearance and image have been a major contributing factor too. If you have a child between the ages of eight and 18, you should care because orthodontic treatment affects your child’s life, now and in the future.
Dentistry is different now
There is no doubt dental care – both in treatment and delivery – is different to what it once was and we have plenty to be thankful for in this realm. Significant advancements in technology have led to people retaining their own healthy teeth, in many cases, keeping them for life. Patient care has also advanced from the grim days of being held down in a dental chair and having a tooth extracted. A growing majority of dentists seek to create an enjoyable and more manageable experience for their patients. A world away from the scary dental stories of the past, this different, even pleasant experience, is a good thing.
However, what most people won’t know is, these positive changes have been caused by the disruption in the dental industry, a fact that is well documented. According to a paper published by Insight Economics in 20131, the dental industry has faced some key challenges, which have led to significant disruption.
Since that time, we’ve seen:
Reduced overall expenditure on dental health services by Australians
A surplus of dentists and dental professionals relative to demand for dental services
Corporatisation of dental practices
Downward pressure on pricing for dental treatments.
Together these factors have made practising as a dentist a highly competitive business. It’s no longer enough to do your time at dental school and expect you’ll end up in a busy practice with a stream of patients walking through the door.
Now the norm is much more challenging. As a graduate dentist, there is no guarantee you will get a full-time job, and even if you do, there is a good chance your patient supply may be limited. This means to make a living, dentists need to capitalize on the patient numbers they do have and, sometimes, there aren’t many patients. The reality? It’s tough being a dentist today. After studying for five years and paying around $50,000 for your degree, it can be disheartening.
What does all this have to do with orthodontic treatment?
As a result of the changing marketplace, dental practice owners have looked at ways to increase their range of services2. They’ve done this by referring less work out to specialists and doing more of this work inhouse.
With respect to orthodontics, in the past, typically general dentists would refer every patient who required orthodontic treatment to the orthodontist because there was too much general dental work to keep them busy. As their slice of the patient pie has eroded through oversupply and the factors I referred to earlier, dentists have expanded their skill set and treatment offerings. In turn, this has given them the confidence to provide orthodontic treatment.
Understandably, patients trust their dentist. This is a vital element of any clinician/patient relationship and there are many reasons for this trust. Often, it’s based on having received general dental care by that person for a period of years. If a dentist says she can provide orthodontic treatment, there is every chance the patient will believe her, without really understanding what that means or questioning it. Compounded by a lack of awareness that orthodontics is a specialty, a patient could accept orthodontic treatment that is not ideal.
If ideal patient outcomes are the driver for delivery of the best orthodontic treatment and care possible, there is no substitute for the experience that comes with treating orthodontic cases all day, every day. And that’s what a specialist orthodontist does.
Thank you Google! Now everyone’s a specialist
Technology is a wonderful thing and we’re fortunate now to have access to information in ways that were not possible previously. With every benefit, however, there is a drawback. The issue with information being so accessible is people feel they can obtain everything they need to know without any guidance or appropriate advice. It’s also evident people aren’t necessarily discerning in the assessment of information they find.
It’s now possible for patients to order teeth straightening devices online and have them sent directly to their home, without stepping inside an orthodontic or dental practice. Really? Yes, really. Does that work? It probably does for a very small percentage of people, just as receiving orthodontic treatment from a dentist works for some people. But for the large majority of people requiring specialised treatment, it doesn’t work. In fact, it’s outright dangerous, and in most instances, these people don’t know what they don’t know. Ignorance about the mechanics of different braces and treatment options and how these work means they almost certainly won’t be getting the best result, even if they only want a cosmetic solution. Initially it may seem cheaper; however, when things go wrong patients often pay double or more to rectify the problem.
But I want to look like….
Ever since it became socially acceptable to take photos of ourselves and post these everywhere (“let me take a selfie!”), I’ve observed people becoming more concerned (in some cases, obsessed) with their appearance. To the point where I’ve seen patients focusing on the most minute detail, for example, the position of a single tooth in a photo. In fact, patients have come to me saying a certain tooth doesn’t look good and wonder if I can fix just that one tooth.
The dominance of celebrity culture has perpetuated certain behaviours and a mindset that causes people to feel pressured to look, and act, like a celebrity themselves. From an orthodontic perspective, people are seeking treatment for an outcome based on self-image and appearance, without really appreciating the value and complexity of what’s involved. Notwithstanding that changes to a person’s smile can have many benefits for personal confidence and wellbeing, undertaking orthodontic treatment for this reason alone, is not the solution to feeling good about yourself. Like buying a new outfit for that next selfie, these people decide they also need a new set of teeth. It’s a decision made flippantly, yet it affects the longevity of teeth, overall health and life, and it’s a big investment. A decision around orthodontic treatment warrants more care and consideration.
Unfortunately, this can lead patients to seek treatment from anyone who promises a solution, but doesn’t necessarily explain to them what’s occurring underneath. A common scenario, especially with young women in the early teens to twenties age group, it can be taken too far. They are so consumed by the need to fit in and look a certain way that they make rash choices without being informed or really concerned about how it impacts their long term wellbeing, as well as their financial situation. They don’t evaluate whether it’s the best or right thing for them. Outcomes from these poor decisions can be devastating....
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