Ortho & Perio

A 16-year-old female orthodontic patient in treatment for four months is also seeing a pediatric dentist. The orthodontist feels that the patient's age warrants treatment by a general dentist. The orthodontist also has some concerns for the quality of care provided by the pedodontist. The orthodontist recommends to the parents that they take the girl to see a general dentist. They do so and the dentist finds that all posterior teeth have occlusal restorations and there is untreated caries on most interproximal surfaces. When the new dentist requests x-rays from the pedodontist, she receives six-month-old bitewing x-rays that exhibit proximal caries. The patient then had to undergo removal of arch wires and molar bands in order for the general dentist to restore the proximal surfaces. When asked by the parents why all this work was necessary, the dentist avoided indictment of the pedodontist.