Today’s modern orthodontology is characterized by – digitally planned treatment process, 3D printing – braces’ position supporting – pattern and tenth millimeter accuracy. The required peak technological device park was only available in certain Western European and American dental offices, but it has been in use in a private office in Szeged for half a year. We have asked the owner, Dr. András Kocsis about his experiences with the device park.
Dentistry is the most dynamically developing branch of the healthcare industry. Moreover, the most advanced technologies are not only available in America or Western Europe, but our country is also keeping the pace with the modernization, this way in the highest quality clinics the same procedures are available as in the more developed countries.
Orthodontology is a special field, which is developing in such an impetuous pace and by now has become almost entirely planned by computers. This way the treatments can be planned more accurately and quickly, while minimizing the failure caused by the humans. However, the most modern procedures and methods have only started to appear in our country, so the peak technological solutions are only available in a few clinics. One of these is Dr. András Kocsis’ Orthodontic Clinic where we can peek into the creation process of the future’s braces.
The basis of the technology is the 3D designing. By using the CBCT device and mouth scanner, they can create a complete skull CT, face scanning and digital imprint sample. The advantage of this over the traditional finding based diagnostic examination is that with the help of 3D recordings the orthodontic treatment can be planned with millimeter accuracy. By moving the dentition with the digital model of the dentures, the result of the treatment about the patients’ teeth can be foreseen and how exactly should the procedure be implemented to get the prefect outcome.
Although many people think that orthodontology only aims at the aesthetic arrangement of the teeth, whilst it is much more than that – Dr. András Kocsis explained. The primary goal is to improve the chewing function, so that teeth can properly get into contact with one another and allow all of them to take part in the chewing. Aside from aesthetics, a perfectly functioning set of teeth is the desired result at each, and every computer designed treatment. The program calculates the required movements of the teeth, in accordance with all these aspects. After this, the most modern technology even shows us where and in what position should the brackets be placed in the initial state, so that only the wire needs to be changed from time to time afterwards to form the ideal set of teeth in the end of the treatment. This allows a more accurate implementation as opposed to the procedures when the dentist positions the brackets at a rough estimate or when he or she modifies the direction of the movement of the teeth by bending the arches during the treatment – the specialist added.
To transplant the accurately computer planned orthodontics into reality, a 3D printer is sufficient, with which an entirely customized, transparent frame can be created, that includes glued and digitally positioned brackets in advance. After this, the sample can be placed onto the patient’s teeth and by pulling the frame off, the small holding elements of the braces will become fixed at the desired and corresponding places.
This customized, advanced orthodontic procedure can reduce the length of a one and a half year long treatment by three months and the patient needs to go on control less often. It is also a time-saving solution for the dentists, because the accurately designed and prepared braces can be placed onto the patients by the dental hygienists. Naturally, the diagnosis and the design are still the tasks of the dentist, as well as the finalization of the braces, namely the binding of the wires. However, by not needing to place the brackets one by one on each tooth, a lot of time can be spared for other patients – Dr. Kocsis explained the technological advantages. He has been applying this method for half a year in his office and his experiences are quite convincing. – The positioning of the braces has become more accurate and the number of fallen brackets has been reduced as well. The patients have also easily accepted that the braces are being placed on by not the doctor, but a dental hygienist colleague. – the dental specialist said.
The approach, according to which certain technical subtasks can be carried out by the dental hygienists who actively work in the office and possess the required expertise, has been a part of the practice in America or Germany for years – there the dentist simultaneously works together with multiple dental hygienists on multiple patients during the same consultation. This was naturalized by Dr. András Kocsis in Szeged with the help of modern technology, while taking on the role of pioneer in the domestic orthodontology. This is the future without a single doubt, this way more and more dental specialist will presumably choose to design and implement with the help of modern technology to provide the most accurate and advanced treatments for the patients.
