Chapter 11 Concluding Postscript Analysis
Positive Patient Psychology in Relation to Mini Dental Implant (MDI) TherapyStephen M. Taubenfeld
Some of the most profound clinical examples of positive mental health outcomes can be found in the adolescent patient population, a cohort not typically associated with edentulism. This elusively dynamic yet psychologically vulnerable stage of development is often characterized by multiple challenges to a young person’s developing self-esteem. Symptoms of depression and anxiety in young adults are gaining increasing awareness in the mental health setting and are often attributed to the harsh, competitive environment in which teenagers play, learn, and mature. Consider the actual case of a teenage boy born with a defect that failed to manifest itself until the appearance of his other permanent teeth: anodontia of his lateral incisors. He was initially fitted with a space-maintainer (retainer) appliance, the type that some of his friends wore in conjunction with orthodontic therapy, which adversely affected his taste and prevented him from participating in sports that required a protective mouthpiece. The daily multiple/>