Fig. 9 Fig. 11 Fig. 10 Fig. 12 The second case is Bailey (Figs. 7 & 8). What would your engineering plan be? We started with extractions of primary teeth. The next question is, what would you do next for the lower right lateral incisor? We bracketed the lower incisors and begin positioning the lateral incisor. Hint: Use .018 slot and light, light forces. Before, during and after braces, the teeth and smile live with amazing ongoing forces, from every direction. But, while in braces, it is up to our engineering to use, work with and “on”, and in spite of, these forces, to “fix” the teeth. This is the engineering of orthodontics. is the most gorgeous smile possible. While orthodontics is the art and practice of dento-facial enhancement, the technical skill used is the engineering! Figs. 9 and 10 show Sebastian, as we are working on labial root torque for the lateral incisor. And Figs. 11 and 12 show Bailey, ready for Phase II. His parents and I are grateful for a mixed dentition diagnosis and start, to make correction of his transposi-tion, possible. LOVE AND Orthodontics Without love there is no impetus for the imaginative picture of what the smile can be, and thus, love and your orthodontic care weave together, using the energy, motivation, and desire of the patient and of the orthodontist. And, in the end, the art is beautiful and appreciated every time that smile is shared. Sharing your smile has been shown to reduce stress hormones -yours and theirs, increase health -yours and theirs, and enhance the mood hormones -yours and theirs! Your smile shared, lowers your blood pressure, and the blood pressure of the people who see your smile. Talk about powerful and life-changing emotional power! Orthodontics is a fabulous art-form! Read and learn more about love and orthodontics at Dr. Chris’s blog, loveandorthodontics.com. The Art of Orthodontics Art Is expressing the author's imaginative or techni-cal skill, producing works that are beautiful, to be appre-ciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. What could be more beautiful than the gorgeous smile of someone you love? Think of the emotional power that smile has! Orthodontics is art in the truest sense. I love the definition above, “expressing the author’s imaginative or technical skill.” The author is the orthodontist. The imaginative skill makes it possible to visualize the beau-tiful smile that hides behind the “wonky” teeth and bite. Without a mind picture of what the smile could be, there is no goal. The big, bold goal of orthodontics 22 Spring 2017 JAOS
Journal of the American Orthodontic Society Spring 2017: Page 22
