What is the value of orthodontic treatment?

Key Points Explains that there is a sustained demand for orthodontic treatment, from all ages of the population. Suggests that a significant proportion of NHS dentistry expenditure is on orthodontic treatment. Stresses that it is important in a social healthcare system that this expenditure is justi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British dental journal 2015-02, Vol.218 (3), p.185-190
Main Authors: Benson, P. E., Javidi, H., DiBiase, A. T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
692/700/3032/3099/3100
692/700/3032/3145
692/700/3032/3148
Dentistry
Emotional Adjustment
Health Care Costs
Health Status
Humans
Malocclusion - complications
Malocclusion - psychology
Malocclusion - therapy
Medicine
Orthodontics - economics
Orthodontics - statistics & numerical data
Quality of Life
Stomatognathic Diseases - prevention & control
United Kingdom
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Summary:Key Points Explains that there is a sustained demand for orthodontic treatment, from all ages of the population. Suggests that a significant proportion of NHS dentistry expenditure is on orthodontic treatment. Stresses that it is important in a social healthcare system that this expenditure is justified. Orthodontic treatment is as popular as ever. Orthodontists frequently have long lists of people wanting treatment and the cost to the NHS in England was £258m in 2010–2011 (approximately 10% of the NHS annual spend on dentistry). It is important that clinicians and healthcare commissioners constantly question the contribution of interventions towards improving the health of the population. In this article, the authors outline some of the evidence for and against the claims that people with a malocclusion are at a disadvantage compared with those without a malocclusion and that orthodontic treatment has significant health benefits. The authors would like to point out that this is not a comprehensive and systematic review of the entire scientific literature. Rather the evidence is presented in order to stimulate discussion and debate.
ISSN:0007-0610
1476-5373
DOI:10.1038/sj.bdj.2015.43