Tuesday, August 31, 2010

SL brackets vs Traditional braces: Damon Braces, Innovation Braces, Smart-Clip...


Orthodontists in Markham and across North America have made claims regarding the superiority of their bracket system compared to traditional braces. They make claims about less pain, faster treatment, less friction, etc. So what is the truth?

In the most recent American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, an article makes it quite clear.

There is no current evidence for the majority of claims made by proponents of Damon braces and other SL braces.

Highlights of this article include:

-No evidence that lateral expansion of the dental arch by self-ligating brackets ‘‘grows’’ buccal alveolar bone
-No evidence that self-ligating bracket systems are more efficient or effective than conventional edgewise bracket systems
-No evidence patients treated with self-ligating bracket systems experience less pain during treatment

It is a shame that some orthodontists continue to maintain these claims regarding the "superiority" of their braces, whether out of lack of knowledge, or in the name of marketing. Ultimately, the diagnosis and treatment plan, the precision of wire and bracket placement, as well as the management of the movement of teeth, make the biggest difference in your orthodontic results. Best of luck in your orthodontic treatment!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Toronto Invisalign Specialist Breaks the Story on Invisalign G3

Your Toronto Invisalign Orthodontist, Dr. Jason K. Tam, is happy to let you know about the best generation of Invisalign known as Invisalign G3, being released by Align Technology in October 2010 for North America.



There are modifications to allow for more doctor control in the treatment planning process, by allowing doctors to place attachments where they wish, use features to help correct class 2 and class 3 malocclusions, and introduce new and improved "SmartForce" features as follows:

-Optimized Rotation Attachments
-Power Ridge feature
-Optimized Extrusion Attachments
-Plus new features to be announced.

This next generation makes it even more clear that the doctor must be in control of this braces technique in order to provide the most optimal results. In other words, just like traditional braces, there will be a difference in your final treatment result depending on the doctor you choose. If you would like to see a short video regarding these new changes, it is available at the Aligntech Institute.

Click here if you would like to find out more about Invisalign or are in the Toronto area and want to schedule your free Invisalign consultation!