Orthodontics

Periodontal Health and Maintenance for Clear Aligner Therapy

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INTRODUCTION Periodontal diseases are a diverse family of inflammatory conditions that affect the periodontium and negatively impact our oral health.1,2 Orthodontic appliances, such as traditional brackets and wires can create numerous plaque retention sites, increasing the patients’ risk of developing periodontal disease and dental caries.3 The periodontal tissue reaction to the orthodontic appliance depends on … Read more

Missing Maxillary Lateral Incisors and Considerations for Treatment Plans

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The congenital absence of one or more teeth is the most common anomaly of dental development in humans. Several terms have been used in the literature to describe this anomaly. Agenesis is considered to be the most suitable term, since from its’ Greek derivation it describes the failure of an organ to develop during embryonic … Read more

Treatment of a Class II Subdivision Type 2 Malocclusion with Customized Lingual Brackets and a Simple Distalizer Appliance

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Introduction Class II subdivision malocclusions can be difficult to treat because of their asymmetric occlusal relationships. An accurate diagnosis, etiologically based when possible, is essential to perform a correct and efficient orthodontic treatment. The aim of this article is to illustrate a case report treated with customized lingual brackets in association with a simple vestibular … Read more

Presurgical Maxillary Segmented Orthodontics: A Simple Concept to Prevent Relapse of Segmented Lefort 1 Osteotomy for Maxillary Expansion

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Keywords: Palatal constrictionMaxillary constrictionSegmented Lefort 1 osteotomyMaxillary expansionPalatal expansion stability INTRODUCTION: Insufficient transverse palatal dimension is a major component of several types of malocclusion.1 This skeletal anomaly is rarely isolated. Most of the time it is in association with a problem of vertical maxillary excess, a mandibular retrognathism or, more rarely, a mandibular prognathism, a … Read more

The DSO Model: Your Questions Answered

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In North America, there’s a trend toward consolidation of individual orthodontic practices as the specialty evolves – from people and operations to technology and the business model itself. Some have predicted this change, seeing other medical professions consolidating in recent years, including dental, fertility, endocrinology, and even veterinarian clinics. But since most orthodontists are already … Read more

7 Confessions of a Working Orthodontist Mom

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People often ask me how I “do it all” and if I have any balance in my life. Being a working mom with a busy practice isn’t easy. But I’ve discovered that the key to finding work/life balance is to not do it all. I’m a partner at Forest Hill Orthodontics – the same practice … Read more

Unsuccessful Outcomes

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If you’re like me, you’ve had your share of unsuccessful outcomes and can appreciate the negative feelings that come with them. Just the other week I ruminated over the need to leave posterior spaces on a case that was progressing well in the grand scheme of things. As dental practitioners we tend to be critical … Read more

Faster and More Predictable Treatment with 100% Custom 3D-Printed Brackets from LightForce Orthodontics: Q&A

3D-Printed Brackets

Last year, Dr. Tim Dumore added fully custom 3D-printed tooth moving tools from LightForce Orthodontics to his treatment options. LightForce, which is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, has developed a cloud-based platform to create patient-specific 3D-printed ceramic brackets delivered in patient-specific indirect bonding (IBD) trays that are 3D printed from a proprietary material.1 Dr. Dumore digitally … Read more

Smile Design with Clear Aligners

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The contemporary practice of orthodontics focuses not only on achieving ideal alignment and occlusion, but also on how the teeth relate to the soft tissues of the face. Smile arc is one of the most important factors when assessing and optimizing smile esthetics. In the pursuit of attaining a well-treated orthodontic case, the smile arc … Read more

Self-Ligation has Significantly Shorter Chair Time Compared to Conventional Ligation with 8 Techniques: Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials of Clinical Outcomes

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Objective: To test if there are significant evidence-based differences in effectiveness between self-ligation (SL) and conventional-ligation (CL) brackets, including observation of eight daily, self-ligation clinical techniques. The clinical SL advantages are: 1) using colour elastomers upper 2-2, but converting to a completely ligature-free appliance when poor oral hygiene develops, 2) simple clip-click for coil spring … Read more

Getting to the Root of the Matter – Indications for Grafting in the Ortho-Perio Patient

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Introduction Orthodontic and periodontal therapy are intimately connected. To ensure a functional and aesthetically pleasing outcome the process begins with clinical assessment of many factors including periodontal probing depths, thickness of the attached gingiva, mobility, occlusion, furcation involvement and bleeding. This will ensure there are no underlying issues that could become aggravated by tooth movements.1,2 … Read more

Dentsply Sirona Acquired the Assets of Propel Orthodontics, a Leading Innovator in Orthodontic Devices

Dentsply Sirona today announced that it has acquired substantially all of the assets of Propel Orthodontics, including the VPro device and the Fastrack Mobile App. Propel Orthodontics is a leading innovator, manufacturer, and worldwide seller of orthodontic devices. Propel Orthodontics offers in-office and at-home orthodontic solutions to dentists and their patients. The acquisition is an … Read more

Align Technology Supports the United Kingdom’s General Dental Council (GDC) Statement on Direct-to-Consumer Orthodontics which Highlights Patient Safety Issues

Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALGN), a leading global medical device company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign system of clear aligners, iTero intraoral scanners, and exocad CAD/CAM software for digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry, today announced its support for an updated policy statement issued by the General Dental Council (GDC), the UK-wide statutory regulator … Read more

Alberta’s Align Orthodontics Joins Canadian Orthodontic Partners’ Peer Network

Canadian Orthodontic Partners (COP) has announced its new partnership with Align Orthodontics‘ clinics in Edmonton and Sherwood Park, Alberta, along with orthodontists Dr. Paul Major, Dr. Karen Hesse, and Dr. Brian Nebbe, as well as their team of clinical professionals. The COP platform provides administrative support to its clinics, so practitioners can focus on what’s important: their patients. As a growing network of … Read more

Daily Use of Ultrasound Can Speed Up Orthodontic Treatment, Prevent Root Damage

An ultrasound device developed at the University of Alberta has been shown to help patients who wear braces get faster results and avoid long-term complications, according to recently published studies. “Not only do the teeth move faster, daily use of the device can also prevent the teeth roots from shortening,” said orthodontics professor Tarek El-Bialy. In one … Read more

My Stint as a Pizzaiolo

Clear Aligners

I have a newfound respect for the simplicity of a perfectly made pizza. When done correctly there is total harmony between the definite crunch of the charred crust, the subtle chew of the soft and pillowy centre and the perfect balance of ingredients – fior di latte cheese, San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh basil and … Read more

An Historical Overview of Clear Aligner Therapy The Evolution of Clear Aligners

Clear Aligners

Although the clear aligners may seem like a relatively new modality of treatment in orthodontics, the initial concept dates as far back as the early 20th century. It began with the “Flex-O-Tite” appliance by Remensnyder2, from this, Kesling4 in 1945 created a rubber-based tooth positioner appliance and proposed the concept of using them in successive … Read more