Abstract

Dental Hygienist and Orthodontist: Patient Management in Relation to Periodontal Risk Factors and Orthodontic Goals

by Galano Chiara and Musilli Marino

During the management of a periodontal patient who needs an orthodontic treatment, for functional or aesthetical reasons, there is some specific common knowledge that all clinicians who follow the patient must necessarily be aware of. These include not only factors related to the patient's individual periodontal risk, but also potential critical issues that may be coming from the orthodontic therapy, and which must be readily shared among all team members. Orthodontics is a complex discipline, offering a range of therapeutic opportunities related not only to the choice of the ideal device, but also to the different types of outcame as possible therapeutic goals. The team in which the two lecturer collaborate has published an Orthodontic Periodontal Risk Assessment (OPRA) chart on the delicate balance between the most appropriate orthodontic choices and the most appropriate periodontal procedures to maintain healthy conditions during orthodontic therapy. The orthodontist will choose the " obtainable" goals and the devices needed to achieve them, while the Dental Hygienist both at the initial stage and during orthodontic therapy will monitor the healthy conditions through the use of certain parameters preventing the risk of periodontal recurrence. After a short introduction, some clinical cases will be illustrated, also with the help of Virtual Reality. It will be highligthed the synergy between these two clinicians which is necessary for the achievement of orthodontic results with minimal risk of periodontal disease recurrence.

Learning Objectives

After this lecture, you will be able to illustrate the treatment flow charts best suited to the needs of periodontal patients
After this lecture, you will be able to show the periodontal parameters to be monitored to assess periodontal health conditions
After this lecture, you will be able to highlight possible orthodontic choices in relation to periodontal risk factors.