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The silver mill competition of the European orthodontic society
American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Vohtme 105, No. 2
were not aware that manufacturers were responsible for placing brackets on teeth. We always thought it was the orthodontists' task. It is also apparent that you obviously missed the concepts of mechanical deficiencies of straight wire appliances and how to compensate for them. The illustration you referred to, Fig. 3, is illustrating play between the arch wire and the arch wire slot in the vertical plane. This is not a bracket placement error, it is a mechanical deficiency. We tried to make it clear that, even with perfect bracket placement, the teeth would not be delivered to the parameters built into the brackets. Quoting from the article, p. 14, "The Slot Machine is not really a bracket placement device in the traditional sense of bracket placement. Rather, it orients the arch wire slot of the bracket relative to the facial surface of each tooth on the model. This is accomplished by holding the arch wire slot stationary while manipulating each tooth to any tip angle, torque angle, rotation angle, and height through the use of orientation templates and a rotation guide.".., p. 15 "Therefore the tip, torque, and rotation parameters of the arch wire slot built into the bracket will not be oriented to the tooth the same as it would be with bracket placement by hand." This is what the Slot Machine accurately measures, not the height and width of the clinical crowns to be able to position the bracket in the center of the tooth. The new technology you describe probably does not have the capability to do what the Slot Machine does. In any case, we are looking forward to seeing the new bracket placement system when it is released to the specialty. Thomas D. Creekmore, DDS Randy L. Kunik, DDS
Comment on root resorption To the Editor: The article on that perennial problem, root resorption, by Brezniak and Wasserstein (AM J ORTHOD DENTOFACORTHOP 1993;103:62-6, 138-46) contained a wonderful review of the literature along with many insights. One of their important points included the legal ramifications of digressions from what is considered to be normal root anatomy. They note that "in light of the orthodontist's liability of what is basically an unpredictable phenomenon (emphasis mine), it is necessary that the specialty define this uncertainty and establish criteria of diagnosis, records and informed consents to protect its members against unnecessary and unjustified litigation." They also by their references point out that "all (emphasis mine) permanent teeth may show microscopic amounts of root resorption that are clinically insignificant and radiographically undetected" and that "root resorption of permanent teeth is a probable (emphasis mine) consequence of orthodontic treatment and active tooth movement."
Letters to the editor
23A
Their conclusion is that "usually, extensive resorption does not (emphasis mine) affect the functional capacity or the effective life of the tooth." If their conclusion is correct, then the argument can be made that root resorption is no more of a consequence to orthodontic treatment then the production of a scar is to an appendectomy. Therefore there should be no legal issue involved. Unfortunately, they do not supply a reference, or data, to support this conclusion. Digesting the prodigious amount of material that is covered in the article, it can readily be understood how this statement could be made. However, it has to be kept in mind that someone in the future will reference this statement of Brezniak and Wasserstein and from that point on it becomes accepted fact and the lack of documentation for the statement gets lost in the ether. If the authors have such documentation, then the necessity to present or cite this evidence is self-evident. If such documentation is lacking or not in publishable form, the importance of this issue requires that they or others deal with the issue. Hopefully, if it turns out that apical root resorption does not compromise the longevity of the dentition, then this troublesome legal problem can be laid to rest. Leonard Bernstein, DMD Clinical Professor of Orthodontics Boston University Graduate School of Dentistry
The Silver Mill Competition of the European Orthodontic Society To the Editor: The European Orthodontic Society, founded in 1907, and including among its honorary members, Dr. E.H. Angle and Dr. B.F. Dewel, is rich in traditions such as the Sheldon Friel Memorial Lecture, the Poster Award named after William Houston, the Past-President's badge instituted by Herbert Wilson, and the President's golden medal initiated by Ruperto Gonzalez to replace the Arthur Thornton Taylor's Australian 1973 specimen. There is also the less serious Silver Mill Trophy, dating from 1952 when President J.A.C. Duyzings presented the Society with a silver model of a Dutch windmili-a gift from the Dutch Society for the Study of Orthodontics, of which he was also president at the time. The Mill was awarded as a trophy to be held for 1 year by the winners of a small sailing regatta held during the Congress. Duyzings suggested that future Congress organizers might also arrange a similar sporting event. Every year since then the E.O.S. programs have included a Silver Mill Competition, usually held during the full-day sightseeing excursion, when teams representing all the nations attending the Congress take part in a contest, cheered on by supporters from all over the world. The name of the winning country and the type of competition are engraved on the base of the Mill, which
24A
Letters to the editor
The Silver Mill now carries a wide variety of "sports" including Alpenhorn blowing in Switzerland, four-men ski-walking in Finland, tilting at a ring from boats in the Netherlands, olive-stone spitting and donkey racing in Greece, archery in Belgium, curling in Garmisch, and most traumatic for all the competitors, cow-fighting in Madrid. Duyzings originally suggested that the competition be well organized and, if possible, have a national flavor; the nature of the contest should be kept secret until the very last moment and, above all, it should be light-hearted. Nevertheless, it is remarkable how seriously the contestants take the competition-perhaps they feel that national honor is at stake. So, the Silver Mill has traveled from country to country, carried by the society's treasurer-first Herbert Wilson and then Maurice Kettle-not an enviable task because, although the Mill looks very solid, it is in fact quite delicate and on more than one occasion has fallen from its base during the presentation ceremony or has been damaged in transit. Time and again the fragile sails were bent and had to be repaired. Some years ago in an attempt to avoid
American Journal of Orthodontics attd Dentofacial Orthopedics FebruaO" 1994
further damage, a mahogany box was specially made to protect it. But despite this the Mill still suffered because suspicious customs men insisted on looking inside and sometimes tried to dismantle the Mill, which put a further strain, not only on the Silver Mill but also on the Treasurer who needed all his self-control and eloquence to convince the authorities of the innocent purpose of the much-travelled Mill. When eventually there was no space left on the base to engrave more names and details, it was decided to leave the trophy in safety in the Society's London headquarters, and since then the contest winners have been awarded a certificate with a photograph of a Dutch windmill. It is probable that many future presidents will be unaware of the background to the competition and the trophy and I wondered whether there might be some way of reminding them of this and of increasing their interest in the tradition (with due respect to Honorary Secretary Moss who, without a microphone, usually takes charge of the proceedings on the day). With this in mind, a small Scale model of the Silver Mill was made, attached to a cork to fit a wine bottle. The intention is that this will be passed on to the newly nominated president each year so that he can take it home and use it on any suitable occasion to add to his prestige and to remind him of his duties to the Society. It will mark his place at Council Dinners and he can dispense wine from the bottle to his neighbors as a token of good fellowship. When the certificates are presented to the competition winners at the Congress Banquet, a bottle of wine and the Junior Mill are also passed to the new president with good wishes for a favorable wind and good fortune for the continued running of the Society. So far I have offered several bottles and will continue to do so in the trust that the custom will become firmly rooted and not fade away, for instance, handing-on the Society's flag, that was first flown at Herren's meeting in Berne when Hotz subsequently donated it to the Society (1967). Tom Graber was one of these expressing interest in the Silver Mill, and I welcome the opportunity to write about the old tradition and to record the origins of what, I hope, will become another tradition in the ongoing saga of the Silver Mill. Kees Booy
were not aware that manufacturers were responsible for placing brackets on teeth. We always thought it was the orthodontists' task. It is also apparent that you obviously missed the concepts of mechanical deficiencies of straight wire appliances and how to compensate for them. The illustration you referred to, Fig. 3, is illustrating play between the arch wire and the arch wire slot in the vertical plane. This is not a bracket placement error, it is a mechanical deficiency. We tried to make it clear that, even with perfect bracket placement, the teeth would not be delivered to the parameters built into the brackets. Quoting from the article, p. 14, "The Slot Machine is not really a bracket placement device in the traditional sense of bracket placement. Rather, it orients the arch wire slot of the bracket relative to the facial surface of each tooth on the model. This is accomplished by holding the arch wire slot stationary while manipulating each tooth to any tip angle, torque angle, rotation angle, and height through the use of orientation templates and a rotation guide.".., p. 15 "Therefore the tip, torque, and rotation parameters of the arch wire slot built into the bracket will not be oriented to the tooth the same as it would be with bracket placement by hand." This is what the Slot Machine accurately measures, not the height and width of the clinical crowns to be able to position the bracket in the center of the tooth. The new technology you describe probably does not have the capability to do what the Slot Machine does. In any case, we are looking forward to seeing the new bracket placement system when it is released to the specialty. Thomas D. Creekmore, DDS Randy L. Kunik, DDS
Comment on root resorption To the Editor: The article on that perennial problem, root resorption, by Brezniak and Wasserstein (AM J ORTHOD DENTOFACORTHOP 1993;103:62-6, 138-46) contained a wonderful review of the literature along with many insights. One of their important points included the legal ramifications of digressions from what is considered to be normal root anatomy. They note that "in light of the orthodontist's liability of what is basically an unpredictable phenomenon (emphasis mine), it is necessary that the specialty define this uncertainty and establish criteria of diagnosis, records and informed consents to protect its members against unnecessary and unjustified litigation." They also by their references point out that "all (emphasis mine) permanent teeth may show microscopic amounts of root resorption that are clinically insignificant and radiographically undetected" and that "root resorption of permanent teeth is a probable (emphasis mine) consequence of orthodontic treatment and active tooth movement."
Letters to the editor
23A
Their conclusion is that "usually, extensive resorption does not (emphasis mine) affect the functional capacity or the effective life of the tooth." If their conclusion is correct, then the argument can be made that root resorption is no more of a consequence to orthodontic treatment then the production of a scar is to an appendectomy. Therefore there should be no legal issue involved. Unfortunately, they do not supply a reference, or data, to support this conclusion. Digesting the prodigious amount of material that is covered in the article, it can readily be understood how this statement could be made. However, it has to be kept in mind that someone in the future will reference this statement of Brezniak and Wasserstein and from that point on it becomes accepted fact and the lack of documentation for the statement gets lost in the ether. If the authors have such documentation, then the necessity to present or cite this evidence is self-evident. If such documentation is lacking or not in publishable form, the importance of this issue requires that they or others deal with the issue. Hopefully, if it turns out that apical root resorption does not compromise the longevity of the dentition, then this troublesome legal problem can be laid to rest. Leonard Bernstein, DMD Clinical Professor of Orthodontics Boston University Graduate School of Dentistry
The Silver Mill Competition of the European Orthodontic Society To the Editor: The European Orthodontic Society, founded in 1907, and including among its honorary members, Dr. E.H. Angle and Dr. B.F. Dewel, is rich in traditions such as the Sheldon Friel Memorial Lecture, the Poster Award named after William Houston, the Past-President's badge instituted by Herbert Wilson, and the President's golden medal initiated by Ruperto Gonzalez to replace the Arthur Thornton Taylor's Australian 1973 specimen. There is also the less serious Silver Mill Trophy, dating from 1952 when President J.A.C. Duyzings presented the Society with a silver model of a Dutch windmili-a gift from the Dutch Society for the Study of Orthodontics, of which he was also president at the time. The Mill was awarded as a trophy to be held for 1 year by the winners of a small sailing regatta held during the Congress. Duyzings suggested that future Congress organizers might also arrange a similar sporting event. Every year since then the E.O.S. programs have included a Silver Mill Competition, usually held during the full-day sightseeing excursion, when teams representing all the nations attending the Congress take part in a contest, cheered on by supporters from all over the world. The name of the winning country and the type of competition are engraved on the base of the Mill, which
24A
Letters to the editor
The Silver Mill now carries a wide variety of "sports" including Alpenhorn blowing in Switzerland, four-men ski-walking in Finland, tilting at a ring from boats in the Netherlands, olive-stone spitting and donkey racing in Greece, archery in Belgium, curling in Garmisch, and most traumatic for all the competitors, cow-fighting in Madrid. Duyzings originally suggested that the competition be well organized and, if possible, have a national flavor; the nature of the contest should be kept secret until the very last moment and, above all, it should be light-hearted. Nevertheless, it is remarkable how seriously the contestants take the competition-perhaps they feel that national honor is at stake. So, the Silver Mill has traveled from country to country, carried by the society's treasurer-first Herbert Wilson and then Maurice Kettle-not an enviable task because, although the Mill looks very solid, it is in fact quite delicate and on more than one occasion has fallen from its base during the presentation ceremony or has been damaged in transit. Time and again the fragile sails were bent and had to be repaired. Some years ago in an attempt to avoid
American Journal of Orthodontics attd Dentofacial Orthopedics FebruaO" 1994
further damage, a mahogany box was specially made to protect it. But despite this the Mill still suffered because suspicious customs men insisted on looking inside and sometimes tried to dismantle the Mill, which put a further strain, not only on the Silver Mill but also on the Treasurer who needed all his self-control and eloquence to convince the authorities of the innocent purpose of the much-travelled Mill. When eventually there was no space left on the base to engrave more names and details, it was decided to leave the trophy in safety in the Society's London headquarters, and since then the contest winners have been awarded a certificate with a photograph of a Dutch windmill. It is probable that many future presidents will be unaware of the background to the competition and the trophy and I wondered whether there might be some way of reminding them of this and of increasing their interest in the tradition (with due respect to Honorary Secretary Moss who, without a microphone, usually takes charge of the proceedings on the day). With this in mind, a small Scale model of the Silver Mill was made, attached to a cork to fit a wine bottle. The intention is that this will be passed on to the newly nominated president each year so that he can take it home and use it on any suitable occasion to add to his prestige and to remind him of his duties to the Society. It will mark his place at Council Dinners and he can dispense wine from the bottle to his neighbors as a token of good fellowship. When the certificates are presented to the competition winners at the Congress Banquet, a bottle of wine and the Junior Mill are also passed to the new president with good wishes for a favorable wind and good fortune for the continued running of the Society. So far I have offered several bottles and will continue to do so in the trust that the custom will become firmly rooted and not fade away, for instance, handing-on the Society's flag, that was first flown at Herren's meeting in Berne when Hotz subsequently donated it to the Society (1967). Tom Graber was one of these expressing interest in the Silver Mill, and I welcome the opportunity to write about the old tradition and to record the origins of what, I hope, will become another tradition in the ongoing saga of the Silver Mill. Kees Booy