Bibliography of Useful References
A Ackerman, D. “A natural history of the sences”. Cornell University. 1990. Alexander SA 1993 The effect of fixed and functional appliances on enamel decalcifications in early Class II treatment Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 103:45-7. B Battagel, J.M. 1996. “The use of tensor analysis to investigate facial changes in treated Class II division 1 […]
Balance the Evidence
It is not easy to balance the two sides of an argument, and remain uninfluenced by the number of people supporting each viewpoint. Because this debate is so crucial for the orthodontic establishment, they have always presented a united front. In order to support their case many unorthodox clinicians will quote long lists of supporting […]
Common Sense in Science
Established beliefs are maintained until they can be convincingly displaced, and even then tend to linger on. This is especially true in the medical sciences, where the rash introduction of untried methods can have disastrous consequences. The increased incidence of litigation has also hindered the introduction of many promising new techniques. As modern specialities have […]
Orthodontics Facts and Figures
WHAT DO ORTHODONTISTS DO? Orthodontists straighten teeth. Until 1999 more than half of the orthodontics in the UK was done by general dentists but after this the General Dental Council registered orthodontists as specialists and discouraged general dentists from doing orthodontic treatment. Over a thousand UK dentists have undergone an extra two or three year […]
Pros and Cons of Orthotropics and Orthodontics
Train Tracks and extractions Advantages. Will reliably achieve good alignment of the teeth within 18 to 24 months. Widely available. Registered orthodontists are University trained. Treatment can be delayed until twelve or fourteen. Disadvantages. They nearly always involve extractions either before or after treatment. They usually retract the upper jaw to match the lower and this tends […]
Scientific Evidence
Orthodontic clinicians in the past have been severely criticised by scientists for ignoring the scientific evidence. Here are some of the comments about orthodontics from world scientific heavyweights they are: “behind homeopathy and on a par with scientology” (Sackett 1985), their work is “based on trial and error” (Johnston 1990), the schools “teach technical skills rather than scientific thinking” (Richards […]
Extraction versus Non-extraction
The treatment of irregular teeth has evolved over the last century, largely by trial and error. Many types of treatment have been tried during this period, most of which have been superseded. Most treatment has been based on two underlying alternatives. Over the last 100 years treatment has alternated between these two concepts and there […]
Can Orthodontics Damage Your Face?
The attractiveness of a child’s face depends largely on two things:• The shape of their parents faces• Whether their face grows forwards or downwards. While the first is fixed at conception, the second displays a range between ‘horizontal’ which orthodontists label favourable and ‘vertical’ which is considered unfavourable. Horizontal growth is associated with good looks, […]
Does Facial Appearance Matter?
Babies. Babies as young as three months strongly prefer attractive mums to unattractive mums (Samuels 1985). Attractive babies receive more affection and attention from there parents and other adults, and are more likely to grow up to be well balanced adults themselves. Children. Children grow up to believe that heroes are good looking, heroines are beautiful, […]
What Can Mothers Do?
Allergies and blocked noses can start soon after birth. They are a response to tiny particles of dust in the air, and are becoming increasingly common in industrial countries. The most common allergy is to house dust. You can see how much there is when a shaft of sunlight crosses a bedroom. If a newly […]