Australasian Dentist Issue 93

CATEGORY 44 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST LINICAL Future of Aligners According to a survey conducted by d’Apuzzo et al (2019): u 69% Clinicians who reported not using clear aligners declared the intention to begin using them in the near future. u 79% of dentist who are using clear aligner in their practice, most of them are Orthodontists. u 45% Orthodontists not using clear aligners considered the outcomes with this type of treatment limited compared to conventional fixed appliances. u 40% of general dentists were not using clear aligners because of their poor experience. Comparison between Orthodontist and General Dentist for not using Clear aligners: Marketing of clear aligners system The increase in primary care dentists who are providing their own orthodontic care has caused orthodontic specialists to change their marketing strategy. Recently, a paradigm shift in marketing has occurred from dentist-based referrals to direct-to- consumer advertising. Orthodontists are now choosing to advertise to patients directly, rather than solicit primary care dentists to refer patients when they deem ready. In essence, primary care dentists have forced the orthodontist’s proverbial hand to become independent. The reach of this independence will likely extend well beyond current direct-to- consumer methods to orthodontists soon owning pediatric and general dental offices in the future Patient’s reasons for requesting Percentage Clear Aligner treatment Information by advertising and 73% directly asking for clear aligner Information through the office 31% marketing Word of mouth from friend or 40% family member Suggestion by the doctor 50% A high percentage of patients wearing clear aligners seemed to have previously received information about this type of treatment by advertising on social media and network. A lower percentage received suggestions from the doctor himself, or from word of mouth of friend or family member, and in a little percentage through the office marketing. Recent studies have underlined the increased relevance of marketing and social media in our working activities. Orthodontists and patients routinely get access to social media and practice websites that are indeed becoming effective marketing and positive communication tool in the orthodontic practice and patient experience. The patient’s knowledge about the clear aligner treatment was mainly provided by information from external media advertising. u REFERENCES d’Apuzzo et al. Clear aligner treatment: different perspectives between orthodontists and general dentists. Progress in Orthodontics (2019) 20:10 Graber, Vanarsdall- Orthodontic Current Principles and Techniques (6th edition) Park et al, Aligner Corner, JCO 2021 Putrino, A et al, Clear Aligners: Between Evolution and Efficiency – A Scoping Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 2870. Vaid NR. The emperor’s new clothes, APOS Trends in Orthodontics • Volume 9 • Issue 1 • January- March 2019 Objective: To determine the efficacy of a Waterpik® Water Flosser vs. interdental brushes for plaque removal. Methodology: Twenty-eight subjects completed this one-time use study. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Waterpik® Water Flosser (WF) The Waterpik ® Water Flosser: Significantly more effective than Interdental Brushes for removing plaque plus manual tooth brushing or interdental brushes (IDB) plus manual tooth brushing. Plaque scores were obtained using the Rustogi Modification of the Navy Plaque Index (RMNPI). Subjects were instructed on the use of their interdental product. Post-cleaning scores were obtained after a supervised brushing and use of the interdental device. Scores were recorded for whole mouth, marginal, approximal, facial, and lingual regions for each subject. Results: The Waterpik® Water Flosser group was significantly more effective than the IDB group for removing plaque from all areas measured. Specifically, the WF was 18% more effective for whole mouth and marginal areas, 20% for approximal areas, 11% for facial areas, and 29% for lingual areas. Conclusion: The Waterpik® Water Flosser and manual toothbrush removes significantly more plaque from tooth surfaces than interdental brushes and a manual toothbrush after a single use. u Comparison of Water Flosser and Interdental Brush on Plaque Removal: A Single-Use Pilot Study Lyle DM, Goyal CR, Qaqish JG, Schuller R. J Clin Dent 2016; 27(1): 23-26.