Ethical Dilemmas in Orthodontics | Chapter 11 | New Insights into Disease and Pathogen Research Vol. 1
Introduction: Doctors and dentists possess special training and expertise which patients and their families do not. This special knowledge and skillset, which has the potential to benefit as well as harm patients, places on the medical or dental professional the moral obligation to act in the interests of the patient. Aim: To present a clinical case as an example of an ethical dilemma that orthodontists may face when advocating for the best interests of a child. Case Presentation: A five-year-old girl attended my private orthodontic clinic with a main complaint of lower anterior teeth overlapping her upper anterior teeth. She was in the primary dentition stage. There was a conflict between the orthodontist’s interests of the child and the need to respect parental autonomy. Her mother had doubts and misgivings about the effectiveness of orthodontic treatment and was reluctant to have her daughter begin treatment at this age. Discussion: Factually, ther...