Limiting factors in orthodontic treatment: 2. The biological limitations of orthodontic treatment.
Owing to a shortage in the orthodontic workforce in the United Kingdom, general dental practitioners carry out orthodontic treatment in selected cases. Orthodontic treatment may not always be successful due to various factors. Some of these limiting factors are related to the practitioner, others to the patients and the orthodontic appliances used. These three sets of factors were covered in the first part of this article. This second part deals with the biologic limitations of orthodontic treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
General dental practitioners and novice orthodontic practitioners may get into difficulties by embarking upon an orthodontic treatment which may not be feasible due to various limitations imposed by the underlying biology. This article provides a brief outline of these limitations.
Shah
Anwar A
AA
Department of Oral Health and Development, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield.
Sandler
Jonathan
J
D000367:Age Factors; D001168:Arthritis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases; D000075202:Contraindications; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D006402:Hematologic Diseases; D006801:Humans; D007569:Jaw Abnormalities; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III; D009059:Mouth Diseases; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective; D014076:Tooth Diseases