Yulia Bogdanova Peeva
The discussion of the issue stresses on the importance of timely information of parents and their children about orthodontic treatment. The physiological limits of maxillofacial growth set boundaries for the correctness of the decision in respect to socio-medical, socio-economic and psychosocial factors. The treatment depends on the clinical assessment of the dentition, and a number of factors. The most important of them are health motivation and health culture. The family foresight in making this decision reflects the direction in which these factors operate. The right time for first consultation with a specialist is also of importance. The improved dental aesthetics is fundamental to the future realization of a child in the society. The high demand for timely prevention of tooth and jaw deformities and extreme precision available through new technologies and methods allow to improve the ratios between the teeth, lips and jaws and to harmonize the facial features. Here in Bulgaria exists a crisis in the postgraduate training of specialists that, along territorial and financial access, define the high incidence of untreated cases. The analysis in terms of orthodontic health insurance for children in Europe shows a lack of participation of the health authorities in Bulgaria. Neither the National Health Insurance Fund, nor the private health insurances cover the costs of any type of orthodontic treatment. Patients pay for their own treatment. Alternative funding models for orthodontic health has been proposed. The improvement of the oral health and psycho-social status through timely information and motivation are the benefits sought by the orthodontic treatment.
