It’s been fun writing these blogs and I hope that you have found them interesting, informative, and fun to read. It is our hope that we have answered a lot of the questions you may have had about braces, aligners, hygiene, oral health, growth and development, orthodontic appliances, orthodontic treatment regimen, and our overall health and well-being.
Let’s discuss why we do orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. The head and neck area of the body is by far the most complicated structure in existence. There is so much we don’t know or understand about facial growth and development, and how to deal with normalizing some of the deformities and deviations from normal that we see and want to correct. As an orthodontic genius named Fred Schudy once said about our ability to treat the various cranial and orofacial problems we face; “the more we know, the more our ignorance unfolds!” In other words, the more we learn and discover, the more we find out how little of an understanding we really have. We are able achieve marvelous results with the level of understanding we have achieved, but there are still some people we would like to treat to a higher standard than is possible with today’s technology and understanding.
Despite its limitations, orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics are great for everyone who participates in the process. It’s great for the patients and their families, the doctors, and their staff. It’s a people business, and the business is all about the people who trust the doctors to provide them with a brilliant, amazing smile and improved facial balance and aesthetics!
Some may feel that it is all about the teeth, but this assessment should be woefully inadequate! Many orthodontists do focus solely on teeth and micro-aesthetics. Their brains are packed with teeth and that’s all they see. There’s nothing wrong with this, and many of their patients are only interested in teeth being straightened, so they’re in the right place. For this orthodontist and dentofacial orthopedist, the teeth are only a small aspect of what treatment is all about. It should always be remembered that the teeth belong in a mouth and are attached to an individual, and it is the individual that is the most important thing we care for. The teeth are important, but if that’s all we see, our view and scope of practice along with the sphere of influence is way too small. We can make more of a difference.
The real purpose of treatment is to Change the Life of the patient! What is desired is that as we do a proper diagnosis, set achievable treatment objectives, and execute the treatment plan, we normalize the things that deviate from normal and this brings harmony, balance, and aesthetics to the individual’s appearance, a functional health to the tissues, and physiological stability that will endure the aging and maturation processes. With support and encouragement, as this happens, the individual should feel better about themselves, and their self-confidence should increase. It is hoped that with increased self-confidence, they will be motivated to achieve greater things and make positive contributions in their life that will have a positive effect on their family and all of society. This rising tide lifts all boats, and we are all better off when an individual has a positive self-image, a good work ethic, and is motivated and willing to do good things with their skills and talents.
If improving facial balance and harmony, enjoying better health, and having a “Hollywood Smile” encourages people to go out and do better and live their best lives, we are achieving something we can all be proud of. This is the real purpose of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics for this practitioner and specialist. It’s the people and relationships, the challenge of diagnosis, the art of designing and executing the treatment plan, and appreciating the journey that brings joy and satisfaction to what we do. This is what makes all those years of school and the poverty/student lifestyle worth it. The relationships and satisfaction of being able to help people be their best selves is top tier and makes it a pleasure to go to work, even on days when life isn’t all we want it to be.
Shouldn’t this be the goal of every job, and life in general? No matter what we do, we either provide a service, or we provide good that makes life better. Regardless of which we do, it all comes down to making people’s lives better in some way. If we can approach life with a positive attitude, a desire to serve where needed, and joy for other accomplishments and positive contributions, life will be better, and we can change the world!