Interdisciplinary treatment planning differentiates us from any digital tool. We are primed by the dental education system to focus on single-tooth rehabilitation. However, we must consider the oral cavity as a functional system that can benefit from interdisciplinary knowledge input into a comprehensive treatment plan. Communication between different disciplines can make the impossible possible.
As an orthodontist, I see these benefits every day.
Orthodontic treatment is accepted in all age groups nowadays. It´s become a routine pre-prosthetic treatment that enables minimally invasive restorative procedures or optimizes implant recipient sites. A proper jaw relation and bite optimized in adolescents or young adults supports the long-term stability and function of the TMJ system.
General practitioners often tell me that patients who have had orthodontic treatment, either in childhood or as adults, are much easier to treat when it comes to restorations. They present with a better periodontal state and a better oral health status than untreated patients.
However, we cannot only consider the teeth. When was the last time you referred a child to the orthodontist for airway diagnostics? The growing body of scientific evidence supports the hypothesis that the morphology of the maxilla and breathing problems have a strong influence on the growth and development of the jaws.
It’s a given that minimally invasive veneer or crown preparation is only possible when teeth are aligned, but what about the long-term protection of delicate ceramic restorations? It´s not about the “social six,” but the functioning system protecting these restorations.
These examples along with space maintenance, gingival heights and margins, and other preparatory treatments are not “rocket science” but established, easy-to-use techniques in orthodontics. Some can be done with simple aligners; others require more adjustable orthodontic devices. Thorough 3D diagnostics and a cross functional alignment on requirements and limitations serve as the fundamental basics for these treatments.