Orthotown May 2017 - 8

embrace progress

The Golden Age

of More Patients in Less Time
by Dan Grob, DDS, MS, editorial director, Orthotown magazine

There will be objections to this statement, and I know that it's been creeping
up on us ... but could it be that we're in the
new "golden age" of orthodontics?
Advances in digitization, materials,
techniques, processes and procedures are
rapidly changing the way we render care.
As a result, we need to reset the way we
approach our practice, staff and facility,
and to embrace our newfound ability to see
even more patients with the help of these
devices and techniques.
Orthodontic specialists could offer
straight, healthy teeth to the public in less
time at a lower cost. After all, a $1,500 quote
for orthodontic treatment wasn't uncommon
back in the late 1960s. The fees of that
time forced families to make hard choices
regarding their children's smiles.
Of course, orthodontics is still a family
decision that requires sacrifice and commitment, but technologies have allowed
our services to reach a greater percentage
of the population. Before you freak out
about my fee references, let me remind you
of a statement made to me years ago: "Just
because fees go down doesn't mean that
income needs to."

The digital revolution
For many of us, the digital transition has
been a slow one, starting first with X-rays and
photo capturing, then moving to CBCT and
intraoral scanning, and now 3-D printing.
(Soon to be in every dentist's office!) Digital
treatment is standard operating procedure
for the younger generation of doctors.

8

MAY 2017 // orthotown.com

Just this past Saturday-yes, my practice
is open on Saturdays!-two new patients
were examined, consulted and placed with
appliances within a two-hour time frame.

Material differences
New materials are responsible for many
of the innovations we use, and changes to
even everyday products can create huge
opportunities to save time and money in
the practice. Advancements in materials
also have helped orthodontists save patients
pain, hours in the chair and thousands of
dollars-even with inflation factored in.
Most orthodontists are familiar with new
wires such as nickel titanium alloys, which
allow for longer time frames between visits.
Even a development like this could mean
that patients save more than 25-33 percent
of office visits. The pain and suffering
associated with ligature-tying individual
teeth into stainless steel wires isn't common
anymore-or appreciated by the modern
orthodontist or the patient, either!
Duplicating and customizing the
smile arc is now possible with the addition
of a multitude of arch forms and metal
configurations. Bands are rarely used or
necessary, except in some instances that
require attached auxiliaries. Periodontal
health is more likely and examination by
the dentist is much easier.
Chain and ties replaced the tedious and
time-consuming ligature tying mentioned
above. These are time- and effort-savers and
fashion statements as well. Placing indirect
or direct brackets used to require mixing of

A and B resins to effect a cure; light curing
is the standard now and, quite honestly,
much more forgiving and technique-friendly.
I enjoy the luxury of pre-pasted appliances. The inventory management and
easy cleanup and delivery of appliances are
things that I've veered from occasionally
but return to for my own (and patients')
selfi sh reasons. Flash-free resins that are
now making an appearance will likely set a
new bar for ease, convenience, oral hygiene
and decalcification prevention.
For years, our contribution to the biologic
response was applying light, continuous
forces. That was about all we could to do.
Extraoral forces, of course, were orthopedic
but tooth movement pressure was to be
light and continuous. The introduction of
heat-activated arch wires has brought a new
dimension to the "light, continuous" theory.
Very flexible at cool temperatures, these wires
are activated by varying temperatures in the
mouth. From my perspective, they're most
effective when working to balance muscle
pressure and eliminate oral habits through
myofunctional therapy or devices.
The biggest, broadest smiles are delivered
with a combination of wires designed to
activate and achieve their broad shape
when muscle forces of the neutral zone are
in harmony with the dental arch.

Techniques and technologies
Manual osteoperforation treatment
and vibration technology have taken the
profession and public by storm. Sorting
through the options, getting compliant
http://www.orthotown.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown May 2017
