Orthotown April 2021 - 36

E A R N E D P L AC E M E N T

Henry Schein Orthodontics practices, the aligner versus fixed appliance
choice runs about 50/50.
Reveal Plus is a cost-effective aligner alternative made with strong, superior material guaranteed not to discolor,
cloud or yellow. It is ideal for virtual monitoring, which assists doctors in guiding
patients when to move to the next tray.
As Paquette mentions, " Unless an aligner doesn't seat, which rarely happens,
there's no need for an office visit. "

Managing teledentistry

Teledentistry does come with challenges. " For years we've urged clinical
assistants to get patients in and out
of chairs as expediently as possible, "
Paquette explains. " Now we need to
make sure every touchpoint is executed with maximum care. When we're in
direct contact with a patient, we need
to ensure the patient understands why
we did what we did. We have to ferret
out what their expectations are so we
can manage those expectations. We've
never had to do this so conscientiously
before, because we had so many more
touchpoints throughout treatment. "

Fixed treatment with
a reliable appliance

If fixed appliances are the choice, the
doctors in this article served as clinical
advisors for the development and testing of-and wholeheartedly endorse-
the SLX 3D self-ligating bracket system
and the Carriere M-Series wires (Fig. 3).
This bracket and wire system is a
proven clinical solution that fosters a predictable workflow and wire sequence.
" In our practices, we find that the three
M-Series wires manage 75-80% of cases, " notes Carrière. " Our treatment times
average 12 to 14 months, including A/P
correction (Fig. 4). One reason is we don't

have many wire changes in this threewire system. The bracket tolerances are
precise and the M-Series wires were designed specifically to fit into this bracket,
so it's easier to finish. "
There are additional wires for expansion, severe rotations and other specialized needs. Dr. John Graham especially
favors the 0.020-inch square wire.
" You can leave it in for a very long
time and it just works everything out, "
Graham says. " Because it's not rectangular, you don't have to wait as long to
use it. For many patients, I then go immediately into the final adjustable wire.
I'm a minimalist. If I can get my systems
down to the essentials-and with the
Carriere System, I have-I've simplified
my practice life. With the M-Series wires
there's minimal inventory, no guesswork,
and great results. MTO is nothing without
high-quality finishes. "
Paschal touts pad fit for intuitive
bracket placement as a primary aspect
of an effective bracket. " SLX 3D brackets go on intuitively. The pads easily
conform to the shapes of the teeth. It's
elegant and beautifully rounded, so exceedingly comfortable for patients, and
the shield-like door covers the entire
slot, which means more activation points

for the wire. Since the bracket widths
are based on the average width of each
tooth, I can use a bigger wire to finish
in the lower with greater bracket expression. Teeth unravel quicker because
there's more interbracket distance, even
in the beginning. And the reasonable
effective cost means my accountant no
longer wags a finger at me. "

Remote monitoring with
artificial intelligence (AI)

Graham has been employing Dental
Monitoring (DM) in his practice for more
than two years. Doctors can choose the
photo-only option or the DM Scan Box
and DM Cheek Retractor option.
" When I first heard about Dental
Monitoring, I thought it was gimmicky, figuring, 'Well, we can take pictures on an
iPhone,' but that isn't even close to what
DM does, " he says. " The AI-powered
software delivers a sophisticated evaluation of positional changes of teeth, wires,
the expression of wires, and even broken brackets. It can tell if a bracket has
debonded before the patient knows. "
For these options, doctors pay a little more per patient, but the AI is unique.
" After bonding the brackets, " Graham
continues, " we take a scan of the patient,

Fig. 3: Carriere M-Series wires

APRIL 2021 // orthotown.com

OT0421_HSO_Earned-Placement.indd 36

3/24/21 3:36 PM

http://www.orthotown.com

Orthotown April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown April 2021