ABSTRACT
A few minutes spent with the chairside assistant prior to the orthodontist seeing the patient helps to set the mood. An interest in patients’ activities and interests and, more importantly, adverse events provides a background which is helpful. They may at times, of course, be very unwilling participants in the ‘wonderful world of braces’ but patience and tolerance on the part of the orthodontist and the team will help to achieve a positive outcome. Certain parameters and guidelines need to be set early on. I recall the case of a teenager (from a single parent family) who had run away from home during her orthodontic treatment. During this time she was exposed to difficult circumstances. She returned to her mother and to her orthodontic treatment. This treatment took twice as long but at the end she turned to her orthodontist and said: ‘Doctor, we have been to hell and back twice together haven’t we? Thank you!’.
