Aesthetic dental procedures: legal and medico-legal implications

Dental treatments, as well as simple anatomical
and functional repair work, can also be for aesthetic pur-
poses. This is because the anatomical area concerned, i.e.
the oral cavity, has a great power of attraction. Aesthetic
treatments in general – in particular dental treatments –
have been on the rise in recent years, and this has also
meant an increase in claims due to patient dissatisfaction
with the results obtained. Numerous laws have been intro-
duced that emphasise the need for comprehensive prior
information in order to acquire valid consent. This has
resulted in the elimination of the distinction between the
obligation of means and obligation of result, with achieve-
ment of the normally expected result required in any case.