My ideal (so far):

pre-treatment would be a brief discussion of- a traditional approach is best, be patient and cooperative and the results will be maximized

full size edgewise brackets bonded to the front teeth and canines

bands used on the bicuspids and molars, including the second molars

headgear begun at the second month- traditional elastic strap, no nugear type, wear should be at least 14 hours/day

long finishing/tuning stage, need to allow for the roots to establish themselves

I realize that this is not a very aggressive plan, but I wanted to get the general idea set for future posts. Have fun and lets hear what you have to say!

My dream orthodontic treatment:

First off pre-treatment, the orthodontist should be a strict woman who is not that keen on sharing information and does not like to talk and discuss the options with me. On the first appoitment she looks at my mouth and immidiatly sees treatment is needed, and goes on with making impressions, x-rays and photos. Then on the second appoitment the orthodontist immidiatly pulls out an activator like this one: https://dereferer.me/?https://dereferer.me/?http://www.ortho-ede.nl/activator.jpg required wear time should be around 14 hours a day. Then after month or two months the wear time is increased to all the time except for situations in which wearing it would either be completly unpractical or even dangerous like sports or eating. Then after a year orso, out of the blue impressions have to be made again the ortho does not take the time to tell for what they are but the next appoitment that is pretty clear.  Because the next appoitment she pulls out this activator https://dereferer.me/?https://dereferer.me/?http://www.ortholab.nl/images/producten/vanbeekappliance1-g.jpg complete with a high pull headgear this one i will wear for another year the same amount of time as the normal activator. Then i get started on fixed braces, first off just regular iron fixed braces soon followed by an cervical headgear for 14hrs a day.

brackets, bands, lipbumpers, a double interlandi headgear which for a while i would like to have 24/7 and upper and lower expanders

Great postings so far, keep them coming!

I like the idea of "surprise" treatments that members have suggested as well as taciturn orthodontists.

How about an initial consult with a 'friendly' orthodontist who recommends something mild, (clear brackets, invisalign, etc.). The payment/contract would be secured, pretreatment performed, (impressions, x-rays, spacers, etc), and the next appointment made.

The following appointment would be with a different orthodontist who would then fit highly visible, bulky appliances, (metal braces, headgear, activator, etc.). If you protest to the 'new' treatment, you would simply be shown the contract you had previously agreed to, (cleverly written in such a way that you have to accept your treatment).

With all this extra hardware, how much would your social life be affected? Think about the reactions from friends, family, co-workers, teammates, etc. Would it be more interesting to have this occur before a major event, such as a reunion?

i would love to start off with normal, traditional brackets, but then the orthodontist decides for some reason or an other to switch to full bands with some sort of headgear for 16-18 hours a day. lots of elastics involved too. braces for about 3 years, headgear for 1 and a half of those years. after the braces are off maybe a bionator or frankel device for another 2 or 3 years

I have always preferred braces on other peopke to getting them myself, so my own dream treatment would be as little as possible required to do the job!

If I was designing something for somebody else though, it would depend on how much I liked them. I do like the idea of orthodontist's keeping quiet about length of treatment and appliances that need to be worn, and I also quite like the idea of patients having to arrive early for their appointments and not be picked up until afterwards (say 15 mins either side?). Also no removal because teeth look good, they have to be all problems solved.

If it was a friend, I'd say metal brackets & wire, powerchains, some form of device (Herbst, lip bumper etc) and combination headgear which they had to wear to school from time to time (say, if they didn't make their hours for the rest of the week). Three years or so plus retainers.

If it was somebody I disliked, then I'd look forward to them getting a metal mouth: full bands on both jaws, thick archwires, a ban on coloured ligatures, the same form of "extra-device" plus a combination headgear they had to wear all of the time except when playing sport (i.e. including school), but with a really obvious strap colour (e.g. black for blonde hair, yellow for dark hair, perhaps orange, green or even pink if they were really bad patients). Fixed retention after treatment over, so, 5 years or so?

.....the orthodontist should be a strict woman who is not that keen on sharing information and does not like to talk and discuss the options with me. On the first appoitment she looks at my mouth and immidiatly sees treatment is needed,......

I agree with this, I would like something like that, but also, I realise that there is always the need that should be "indicated to" not asked by the patient. I mean, the power in the relation with the ortodontist (a female, always) is on her side, and used by her.
I would say too, she should prescript some device that cause lisp and trouble to speak. And visible. Heagear and expanders should do that perfectly. I like more the idea of fixed thing, that do not allow the patient to remove them.