Embracing a New Era
Over the past 20 years, significant changes have occurred in the field of orthodontic practice. What do survey results show as to the amount and nature of orthodontic treatment general dentists offer to their patients?
In the United States in 2017, there are almost 200,000 dentists in practice. The American Dental Association completes yearly surveys of the dental services performed by its members, including the amount and nature of orthodontic treatment general dentists offer to their patients. They report that a majority of general dentists provide some type of orthodontic services to their patients; about 19.3% provide comprehensive orthodontic treatment to patients in need of that sort of dental correction.
When you enroll in our continuing education program at Gerety Orthodontic Seminars, we will provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide orthodontic care to your patients. You will develop the necessary expertise regarding orthodontics, including diagnosis, planning, treatment, case finishing, and sequencing. The most vital aspect you will learn is case selection, which will enable you to identify the specific cases in your practice that are best suited to correction by orthodontics.
Among the many types of fixed orthodontic appliances, the most common one used by general dentists is the straight wire appliance. The straight wire appliance is designed to move the teeth to their desired location in the mouth in the form of an arch. It is possible to accomplish this using the straight wire brackets along with a series of pre-formed archwires. The straight wire appliance applies the ideal torque and tip, angulation, and the position built into the individual position of the bracket for each tooth. When the brackets and bands are bonded and cemented in position, the doctor then flexes the archwires, fits them into the slots of the brackets, and finally ligates each one into the correct position. When the archwires return to their original shape, this exerts some corresponding force on the individual teeth until the wires lie passively within the brackets. The archwires change progressively until finally, a normal occlusion is achieved.
Clear aligners are transparent plastic dental braces that adjust to the teeth. Usually, manufacturers sell these devices under specific brand names. A systematic review was conducted to collect evidence to determine the effectiveness of this dental therapy. The clear aligner was determined to be less effective than the conventional types of braces and not recommended for younger children. However, the clear aligner device was found to be an effective choice for minimal crowding of the front set of teeth. In other words, the clear aligners help minimal to mild forms of teeth crowding and spacing, particularly where there is no discrepancy between the lower and upper jaws. Clear aligners are also ideal for the patient who experiences a relapse – or loss of stability of teeth correction -- immediately after the conclusion of orthodontic treatment.
Correction of dental malocclusion with traditional fixed appliances varies based on several factors. The age of the patient at the beginning of treatment is a factor, as well as the formation of the upper and lower arches and crowding of the teeth. Treatment may take as little as six months, but more challenging cases could require a three-year course of action. Your dental professional will give you an estimate of the time of treatment based on experience with other patients. The commitment and compliance of the patient is also an important factor in the time and success of the orthodontic treatment plan.
The use of clear aligners involves treatment by a general dentist or specialist, beginning with taking the patient’s teeth mold to create a digital scan of the teeth. Usually, computerized models suggest stages between the desired teeth positions and the current ones. Depending on the condition of your teeth, the number of hours you wear the appliance varies. These aligners move the teeth into the right positions, and the average time of treatment is about 13.5 months.
By incorporating orthodontic treatments into your practice, you will be able to offer the best and most complete range of treatments to your patients. We invite you to take advance of a free consultation, part of the Gerety commitment to providing dentists like you with advanced knowledge and continuing education in orthodontics. Gerety Orthodontic Seminars offers the flexibility to meet the learning needs of every dental professional, whether you select on-site seminars in Tulsa, OK or our comprehensive virtual seminars and training courses. Please explore our course offerings on our website www.orthodonticteaching.com and feel free to contact us with any questions. We welcome the opportunity to provide further information and would be proud to include you in the Gerety Orthodontic Seminar family!