Australasian Dentist Issue 93

CATEGORY 42 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST LINICAL C lear aligners were introduced in the United States, where they were born at the end of the 1990s by the company Align Technology© (Santa Clara, CA, USA), which then gave life to the Invisalign® system. Since then, the interest and the diffusion of this therapeutic alternative to the classic multibracket orthodontic therapy have increased exponentially. The commercial proposals regarding aligners include many different brands all over the world. Clear aligner treatment has evolved mainly over the last 15 years through new technologies and materials to widen the range of tooth movements. It can be provided by both orthodontists and general dentists. Several differences in treatment plan and management, as well as training and expertise between orthodontists and general dentists performing Clear Aligner treatments are being surveyed. and be able to think outside the box in treatment planning, adding a further level of complexity. Clear aligner therapy poses many challenges to clinicians compared to conventional orthodontic treatment with brackets and archwires. While orthodontic manufacturers have introduced clear plastic brackets, tooth-coloured ceramic brackets and archwires, lingual brackets, and clear aligners to provide better esthetics, these appliances often come with reduced efficiency. Therefore, it is critical that orthodontists and general dentists who provide orthodontic treatment are aware of the characteristics and treatment mechanics of new modalities. Advantages of Clear Aligners The treatment with Clear aligners may be indicated to plan and visualize the treatment outcomes before starting the multidisciplinary treatment. Acceptance rates adults and teens; Patients Percentage Treated By Adults 97% Orthodontist and General Dentist Teens 27% Orthodontist and General Dentist Due to the major request of invisible orthodontic treatment even in younger patients with a greater awareness of oral health, younger patients are increasingly involved in CA treatment in the last years. The main advantages of this treatment are better esthetics with higher patient acceptance and a general better quality of life. Information gained about Clear Aligners According to a study conducted by Park et al (JCO 2021) , it’s been estimated that as many as 45% of all general dentist offer Clear aligner therapy. Clearly, private practice and dental education are out of sync. While the number of general dentist offering orthodontic treatment has grown significantly, the quality of their orthodontic care has been controversial. Dental schools offer limited training in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment; while many general dentists acquire orthodontic knowledge from CE (continuing education) courses, it is questionable whether these courses offer sufficient training to provide comprehensive orthodontic treatment. In Dental Schools, among the instructors who did teach clear aligner therapy to dental students, more than 90% agreed that their students needed more continuing education (CE) after graduation to be competent with clear aligners. According to a study by d’Apuzzo et al (2019) , Clear Aligner system providers gained information about clear aligners through; Mode of Information about Percentage Clear Aligners Private courses 68% Academic seminars 49% Congress lectures 42% Book chapters or papers 35% Orthodontists learnedmore about clear aligner during academic seminars 53% vs 35% of general dentists, whereas general dentists attended more private courses. Comparison between Orthodontist and General Dentist in learning about CA; Type of learning Orthodontist General Dentist Private courses 65% 78% Academic seminars 53% 35% Congress lectures 44% 35% Book chapters or papers 37% 27% Patients requiring a treatment with clear aligners were mainly females (74%) with an age between 18 and 45 years. Part 1: An overview of the Aligner Market, where is the future off the Aligner Market and why General Practitioners should get involved Dr Geoff Hall By Dr Geoffrey Hall Efficiency of Clear Aligner System Clear aligners do not seem to be the same and consistent differences can be observed between different brands. The concepts of “efficacy and efficiency” in clinical orthodontics are used interchangeably to describe “achieving the desired results without wasting time for the orthodontist and the patient”. In the field of invisible aligners, efficacy and efficiency is expressed even better through the ability of these devices to perform more or less complex dental movements in a predictable way as much as traditional fixed appliances with equally stable results. Besides understanding the strengths and weaknesses of clear aligners compared to fixed appliances, clinicians need to know the limitations of clear aligner therapy