Metal Mouth Message Board

Thought you guys might find this interesting. Orthodontic Products Magazine interviews Dr. Roger Levin, CEO of Levin Group, a dental consulting company.


https://orthodonticproductsonline.com/r ... newsletter

Fascinating. Having successfully completed my orthodontic adventure years ago, I can relate to many of his points. I became a candidate for braces following a complication with a poorly installed crown on a premolar which allowed the tooth to rot from within (by a previous general dentist who I abandoned following this fiasco). It had to come out and I then had two options: an implant or braces. My general dentist shared offices with an orthodontist and recommended a consultation. The orthodontist was a young man in his 40s, recognized in the local press and social media as one of the best. He had a low-key approach but comprehensive approach in explaining pros and cons and what could be expected. He answered my questions candidly. Initially I thought I would just go with the implant since the cost was similar to braces and seemed like a lot less hassle. The ortho was fine with that and stepped out. My general dentist rushed in and started off with "If you were my brother, I would recommend braces, and here's why." (I appreciated that she did not say "If you were my father..."). She explained that although I did not have a lot of cosmetic issues, braces would resolve other issues with my bite and may head off problems in the future (I was in my early 60s at the time, and that was an important point to me.) Plus I would need a bone graft which really didn't bother me after reviewing the x-rays. The point being, I had a great relationship with the general dentist who I trusted implicitly, and who I believe was acting in my best interest. So, I opted for braces. The ortho did not try to "sell" me, which I appreciated. One of the reasons I went with him is that he is board-certified, which means he went to the trouble of taking additional steps to demonstrate his abilities and experience. As an RN, I think board certification reflects excellence. It is certainly not a guarantee by any means. He indicated that only about 30% of orthos are board certified, which I thought was interesting. I imagine they just don't think it is necessary to have a successful practice, since the general public is unaware of what goes into it. For me, that was his "brand." From what I could tell, I was his only older patient although he stated he had someone in her 80s as a patient.

I think the general lack of critical thinking skills for the general public plays into the hands of direct-to-consumer models. I was appalled when the drug companies first started hawking prescription medications on TV and in print. The physicians I worked with were not particularly pleased, as patients came in demanding meds that were clearly contraindicated in their case, but sure sounded like a miracle cure on tv. Already pressed for time, clinical visits were extended in order to answer questions and so forth. I fielded questions from patients as well, and although I am fairly good at explaining things, very often it went in one ear and out the other. They knew better than I did because they saw it on tv or the on the internet.

Somethings just take time, and Orthodontics is one of them. Maybe there is research on how to hasten bone remodeling, or different types of hardware that are less-intrusive. AI may make it easier and more profitable for the orthodontist and hopefully the patient (more than just fewer office visits.) One thing that would help is for an orthodontist to fully assess a patient's goals and expectations and address them rather than having a one-size-fits-all approach. I think some of the issues we read about here on the forum stem from this failure.

Thank you for sharing!

Interesting! Thank you for sharing!