Court Claims in Orthodontics: What Causes Them and How to Avoid Them

Abstract

Currently, the number of complaints, claims, and lawsuits, including those filed against orthodontists, is on the rise. The work's goal is to examine lawsuits involving poor-quality orthodontic care in the treatment of dentoalveolar anomalies (DNA). The majority of the 327 claims were discovered to be claims for the provision of dental care in private dental clinics and offices, primarily from young women. The main reasons that prompted patients or their representatives to fi le claims were: a long period of treatment that exceeded that specified in the contract for the provision of medical services; a change in the orthodontic treatment plan at its active stage; the occurrence of periodontal problems in patients; the need to remove teeth that "suffered" during orthodontic treatment; the appearance of pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) during orthodontic treatment; or a combination of these orthodontic treatment complications or flaws. An observation of the causes and errors of orthodontic treatment, as well as the preparation for it, which resulted in the fi ling of claims in civil proceedings by patients or their legal representatives, will aid in their prevention and improve the quality of dental rehabilitation using orthodontic treatment to reduce the number of lawsuits. Recommendations are made to reduce the number of claims and prevent medical errors.