MALPRACTICE IN ORTHODONTICS - A REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION TO OVERCOME THE SAME

This article aims to describe some of the potential risks of orthodontic treatment which when neglected can lead to a malpractice lawsuit.In orthodontic practice,categories vary from informed consent or negligent non-disclosure,failure to diagnose,to gross negligence.This study focuses on creating awareness about the importance of informed consent before orthodontic procedure to avoid legal issues.Orthodontic failures do occur sometimes but it should be identified earlier and rectified.Consent should be seen as a process and any discussions should be fully and legibly recorded in the patient records. Key words: Malpractice, informed consent, hazards of orthodontic treatment, Negligence.