Orthodontics
Our specialist orthodontic team advises and treats children and adults with complex orthodontic problems such as facial deformity and anomoly, hypodontia, malalignment of the jaws and positional problems of the teeth.
The team works closely with maxillofacial, plastic surgery and dental practice colleagues to provide a multi-disciplinary team approach to solving clinical problems and treating complex conditions including cleft lip and palate.
Patient information leaflets
- A guide for patients considering orthognathic surgery
- Orthognathic surgery - post-operative information
Clinical effectiveness
Wisdom tooth extraction is a commonly performed procedure. A recognised complication is inferior dental or lingual nerve injury which may be temporary or permanent. We treat approximately 1000 patients for wisdom teeth extraction each year. We had no cases of permanent nerve injury.
We also monitor damage to the facial nerve during open fixation of mandibular fractures. We continue to have a zero permanent nerve injury rate.
Nerve injury rates in third molar (wisdom tooth) extraction and mandibular (jaw) fracture surgery
Measured through a prospective audit of 93 patients
| Temporary numb lip | Temporary numb tongue | ||||
| QVH target: | 0% | 0% | |||
| Benchmark: | 5-10% | 2-8% | |||
| QVH 2010/11: | 4.4% | 4.4% | |||
| QVH 2009/10: | 2% |
4% |
Facial nerve injury rates in condylar fracture (jaw fracture) repair
| QVH target: | 0% | |
| Benchmark: | 17% | |
| QVH 2010/11: | 9% | |
| QVH 2009/10: |
12.5% |
Patient reported outcome measures (PROM) in orthognathic surgery (correction of bony jaw abnormalities)
This new PROM has been developed to look at patient satisfaction with the orthodontic and orthognathic surgery service and satisfaction with the appearance, dentition and face following treatment. Due to the long treatment period this had so far only captured the results from 17 patients.
How do you rate the orthodontic service and care?
- 88% excellent; 12% good
How do you rate the surgical service and care?
- 82% excellent; 18% good
How satisfied are you with facial appearance?
- 75% very satisfied; 12% satisfied
How satisfied are you with dental appearance?
- 55% very satisfied; 36% satisfied
Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) index for orthodontic treatment
The PAR index is a fast, simple and robust way of assessing the standard of orthodontic treatment that an individual provider is achieving. The index is designed to look at a large group of patients rather than an individual patient's outcome.
Benchmark: >70% = very high standard; <50% = poor standard
QVH 2010/11: 95%
QVH 2009/10: 95%
Full details of our patient safety, patient experience and clinical effectiveness measures are published in our annual Quality Accounts.