Georgios Kanavakis

The effect of orthodontic treatment on everyday human interactions

Orthodontic treatment is nowadays commonly performed among pre-adolescents and adolescents in developed countries around the globe. In addition, an increasing number of adults are more often than ever seeking orthodontic care either to improve masticatory function or to enhance the esthetics of their face and their smile. Within this spectrum, orthodontists are required to facilitate occlusal and esthetic outcomes that respect the biological foundation of orthodontic tooth movement and also meet the esthetic expectations of their patients. This task becomes easier if clincians are aware of the factual impact their treatment decisions have in their patients lives.

Aims and objectives

This presentation will focus on the effect of facial and smile apperance on every day human interactions. It will also review how traditional esthetic concepts of orthodontic treatment might not always apply to modern societal standards. Long-held notions of facial and smile estethics will be discussed under the scope of contemporary research data and translated into everyday clinical applications.

Learning outcomes

Participants will be exposed to an evidence-based, contemporary view of facial and smile esthetics. They will be familiarized with concepts beyond the frame of the orthodontic specialty and receive suggestions on how to incorporate those in their everyday clinical practice. Ultimately, this presentation will attempt to enrich the thought process of the orthodontist with evidence and concepts related to the impact of orthodontic treatment on all human interactions.

Speaker biography

George Kanavakis is an Assistant Professor of Orthodontics in the School of Dentistry of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. He is also a Senior Lecturer (Privat Dozent) at the University of Basel, Switzerland and a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthodontics at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and a full member of the Edward H. Angle Society of Orthodontists.

Dr. Kanavakis is a graduate of the School of Dentistry at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He holds a postgraduate certificate in Temporomandibular Disorders and Orofacial Pain, a Master of Science, and a postgraduate certificate in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics from Tufts University, School of Dental Medicine in Boston, MA. He also holds a doctorate degree from the University of Bern, Switzerland and a PhD from the University of Oulu in Finland.

Dr. Kanavakis has published more than 50 articles in peer-reviewed orthodontic journals, has co-authored three book chapters and is a reviewer for more than 20 orthodontic publications. His main research interests focus on Factors affecting the Perception of Facial Appearance, Three-Dimensional Facial Analysis, 3D Imaging, as well as the use of skeletal anchorage in orthodontic clinical practice.