Editorial. The panel issue

Editorial The Panel Issue If YOU are one who practices orthodontics, whether you correct one malocclusion a year or fifty, whether gou are a general practitipner or a specialist, YOU should read t,his special Panel Issue of the Orthodontic Section of the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHODONTICS AND ORAL SURGERY. It is timely, and comprises the up-to-date thought on the question of the extraction of teeth in the correction of maIoccIusion. After reading the manuscript and noting the wide variation of opinion expressed, whatever your own opinion may be, one thing is certain: YOW perspect,ive, your viewpoint, and your general conception of the entire orthodontic problem will be strengthened. It will make you think more intensely about the treatment of cases. If you are an amateur and new in the subject of orthodontics, after reading this material you may say: “Here are plainly experts of many years’ experience and background who cannot agree on one of the fundamental problems in orthodontics, whether to extract or not to extract teeth in’the process of correcting malocclusion. ” And you will probably wonder how you are to know what to do and what not to do in this particular. If you are an orthodontist of years of experience, however, it is quite possible and even likely that you will feel that this subject of extraction was pretty thoroughly t,hrashed out about the turn of the century, and that you are able to see but little change in the over-all problem now from what it was many years ago. 1'0~1 may belong to another group of thought, however, who may saJ something like this : “If an>rbody can do a more sightly piece of work and with less grief to all concerned by extracting a few teeth occasionally, then I am open to conviction, because it is my job to correct malocclusion successfully in a way that will satisfy the patient.” In any event, in this issue of the JOCRKAJ, you will find concentrated thought as expressed by various leaders whose experience and background are sufficiently impresdive to make their opinions important to the problem that now takes the principal spotlight in orthodontic interest. Read this issue; then write to the Editor of the JOURNAL your personal opinion, so that a cross sectioii may be secured upon this subject, in the nature of a (iallup poll. What do the majority of orthodontists think about this question in I!+@:1 The answer to th,is question will be interesting to all of the readers of this JOCRNAI, whether the opinion is based upon personal clinical experience or upon scientific investigation. N. c. P.

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