The Portuguese Dental Association (OMD) has launched a campaign to warn against the dangers of online consultations for orthodontic purposes as well as the online purchase of braces, a situation that has already been reported to the Health Regulatory Authority, the Association said in a statement on Tuesday.
The campaign, running across television, radio and social media, stemmed from the OMD’s concern over the ever growing array of dental services on the internet without the intervention of a dentist, including orthodontic self-treatment in which the patient directly places their own braces.
The Association warns patients of the serious consequences of such procedures being performed without the physical presence of a dentist during a consultation, such as poor results, the need for additional treatments or, in more severe cases, irreversible damage to oral health.
The procedure in most cases involves a self-assessment by the patient themselves by means of “selfie” photographs taken with a mobile phone or fingerprints taken by the patient. Then, the most suitable braces – normally aligners, which are one of the possible techniques, among others, in orthodontics – are sent directly to the patient by post against payment. Treatment progress is monitored mostly or exclusively without physical contact between the dentist and the patient.
Miguel Pavão, President of the OMD, warns that “in the vast majority of situations related to dentistry, including orthodontic treatment, face-to-face interaction is necessary to ensure the patient’s safety. On the other hand, in line with good clinical practices, scientific evidence and the current training of dentists in the field of orthodontics, it is crucial that any medical opinions upon which a proposal for orthodontic treatment is based are supported by a thorough assessment of the patient’s oral health. Currently, there is no effective substitute for a physical clinical examination as the basis for this assessment”.
OMD reiterates that orthodontic treatment is, in essence, a medical intervention on the stomatognathic system, so it should be carried out exclusively by a dentist who is qualified in the field of orthodontics.
