Let us show you why the MCO Downtown Toronto Invisalign, MCO Markham Orthodontist, MCO Scarborough Orthodontist, MCO Stouffville Orthodontist, and MCO Oshawa Orthodontist Teams are regarded as the top orthodontist in Richmond Hill, Toronto, Stouffville, Oshawa, Scarborough, Whitby, Bowmanville, and Markham Orthodontists for braces and Invisalign.
On December 11th, Dr. Tam was invited by American Orthodontics to attend the game at Lambeau Field to see the Green Bay Packers take on the visiting Oakland Raiders. The weather was unseasonably warm at about zero degrees centigrade, the American Ortho box was full of great people enjoying the food and beverages, and the Packers kept their unbeaten streak alive with a 46-16 win. What a fantastic way to experience a football game!
Just outside Lambeau Field at the legendary Krolls.
Dr. Tam enjoying the pregame in the American Ortho Box.
Sold out as always. Great fans with fantastic spirit!
The following morning, an hour south of Green Bay, Dr. Tam visited the manufacturing facility for American Orthodontics in Sheboygan. Here are some interesting facts about the plant:
-There are about 425 employees in the factory
-None of the employees have a time clock nor are they paid by piece work. They are all on the honour system. They take time off when they need it and make up for it at their leisure. Such as system only works with high integrity employees who value and are proud of their work.
-There is excellent quality control with a combination of machine fabrication and human fabrication/inspection.
-There is a completely isolated latex-free room for the safety of patients with such an allergy
-98% of all of American Orthodontics products are made in America
-American Orthodontics is looking to triple the size of its existing facility in the coming years
Dr. Tam feels extremely confident in the quality of the braces he uses at MCO, especially after witnessing the manufacturing process first-hand. In fact, all of the products that we use at MCO are from top of the line companies because our patients deserve only the best! Thank you to the people at AO for this wonderful opportunity!
MCO Invisalign orthodontist, Dr. Tam, has always aimed to be the best Invisalign dentist in Toronto. In order to do this, he has traveled extensively to meet top doctors all over the world, visited the Invisalign Treat Facility, and attended numerous Invisalign seminars. MCO is also one of the few offices in Canada using the Invisalign scanner to replace impressions!
One of the key aspects of proper Invisalign treatment is the planning of the ClinCheck. While many potential patients consider Invisalign to be the same no matter where you go, this is not the case. It is up to the doctor and their experience to determine when teeth move, how they move, and how much they move. When simulations are created, they are done so by technicians who do not have training with orthodontic tooth movement. Anything can happen in a video, but it doesn't mean it will happen inside the mouth. The above photo is only one section of the facility where the techs create simulations. As you can imagine, there is a lot of variability!
In early November, Dr. Tam went to meet his team leader Alex, his current tech Auxi, and their back-up tech Roberto in Costa Rica. This was his 2nd visit in 2 years. He went to discuss his preferences for treatment, and to ensure that there is a smooth transition whenever Auxi is away. Alex sported his TeamMCO t-shirt and it was fantastic to see them, as they are truly a part of our Invisalign team at MCO. Special thanks to Alex and Auxi for the gift they got for Dr. Tam's son, Isaac!
L-R: Dr. Tam, Alex, Auxi, Roberto
Remember that Invisalign is a technique, not a product, and seek out the most experienced Invisalign doctors to ensure you have proper care.
What a wonderful event hosted by Mom Central Canada and Kathy Buckworth at Brassaii on King West. I had the opportunity to speak to about 25 mom bloggers from all over the Toronto area about Invisalign Teen.
My treatment coordinator in the Stouffville office, Mandy, joined me for the evening, along with our President's Circle Invisalign representative, Craig MacIntyre. I was also fortunate enough to have a few patients and their mothers join us in case the bloggers wanted to ask questions about their experiences.
We started off with some technical difficulties in getting the projector to work, but after switching a few laptops and ultimately, a cable, all systems were a go. After a half eaten, but great dinner, it was showtime.
I know a lot of speakers for Invisalign and many of them tout aesthetics, generating income from new patients, and getting that movie star smile without braces. Unfortunately, the marketing for Invisalign is far ahead of the training and skill level of most doctors. Certainly aesthetics are an important part of Invisalign treatment, but as health care professionals, we have to remember that there are health aspects to orthodontic treatment that cannot be overlooked, just because our patients are seeking a specific treatment type. My goal was to present an analytical and informative session so that parents can make the right decision for their teens, rather than basing it on smoke and mirrors.
Here are the key points from the evening:
Invisalign has been used with over 1.4M patients
Invisalign Teen was developed in 2009 with specific needs of teens in mind
Benefits of Invisalign Teen include improved oral hygiene, no restrictions on eating, superior aesthetics, and the opportunity to teach teens responsibility.
Orthodontic consultations are recommended at age 7. Generally, this is when the upper front teeth have come in. Dental development, rather than chronological age is the more important determining factor
Many orthodontists offer complimentary consultations
A referral from a dentist is not required to get an appointment with the orthodontist
When thinking about medical procedures, everyone would prefer to go with a specialist for specialist work. The same should apply to dental procedures, including orthodontic treatment.
Orthodontic insurance will cover Invisalign and braces.
It's more correct to ask "Can you correct my teeth with Invisalign?" than to ask "What can Invisalign correct?", since the skill and experience of the doctor will determine your final results.
Invisalign isn't only for Teens. If your teeth, gums, and bone are healthy, it is never too late for orthodontic treatment.
I really enjoyed meeting a number of the mom bloggers and it was nice to be asked to work on future segments with them. I learned a few things about parenting from them and will also be looking at a Disney cruise on the advice of Jen Reynolds :). Overall a great evening!
Dr. Tam, your Toronto Invisalign specialist, offering FREE Invisalign and braces consultations was recently on MTV Live with Paul the Intern. The interview was supposed to be about Invisalign, braces, and Halloween. Footage was filmed over the course of a few hours, but was parsed down to a 2 min segment.
None of the questions were prepared in advance and in typical Paul style, he seemed to want to trip up Dr. Tam. Check out the video from MTV here:
Here are some out-takes that didn't make it to TV:
In early October 2011, your Toronto Invisalign Specialist followed a program in which Invisalign announced a series of features known as Invisalign G4. They sought to address 3 major issues that some Invisalign doctors had been having issues with. These include:
1. Greater root tip control for canines and upper laterals
2. Improved predictability for upper laterals
3. Better clinical outcomes for open bite treatments
There was a theme that Invisalign is based upon the science of orthodontics. Namely, we have to think of a desired movement, determine a force system, and then design an appliance. At this point, all other aligners other than Invisalign skip the middle step of determining a force system. This is asking for failure of treatment when the proper orthodontic forces are not applied. Anyone can make an aligner or video look good from start to finish. The key is whether the teeth will move that way also. Can you move roots with Invisalign? According to the new changes, they should allow for root movement using new attachments.
In order to achieve these difficult movements, one of the newest features is to apply to force systems to one tooth. This is in the form of attachments or a pressure point, where one feature will counteract the negative forces caused by the first. They are supposed to allow for simultaneous movements such as extrusion and rotation, as well as translations. There is a claim that these new attachments are more aesthetic than previous attachments, with the more gingival attachment often covered by the lip.
It was also announced that optimized attachments with G3 can now be used with precision cuts on canines. This was not previously possible. The cuts are not yet tested with G4 attachments, and thus cannot be used simultaneously.
Also, an update on the iOC scanner was given.
Over 1000 scanned cases have been submitted, with greater accuracy in seating, less spring, improved retention, and proper contouring around the gingiva (according to these numbers, your MCO Markham orthodontist has submitted about 3-4% of world-wide scans). Patients have reported less saliva trapped under the plastic, likely since the aligners comform better to the teeth. Rejections of scans to date have been virtually non-existent, since any deficiencies in the scans can be corrected easily chair-side. Clinchecks are also back in the doctor VIP page on an average of 2 days vs 10 days for PVS impressions.
Overall, Invisalign has been very dedicated to the science of tooth movement with aligners and listening to concerns of doctors and patients. However, remember that the most important factor in treatment is going to be proper treatment planning by your orthodontist of choice. It is his/her job to decide exactly how the teeth will move and when to use specific features to help aid in these movements.
In our first year here in Stouffville, MCO Stouffville Orthodontics has been very active in the community. We've been at the Strawberry Festival, on the ice at the arena, and fundraised for Markham Stouffville Hospital. Last week, the office held a reception with Stouffville Mayor Wayne Emmerson and a number of members of the dental community in Stouffville and Uxbridge. Overall, it was as great evening and fun was had by all!
Enjoy the pictures!
Mayor Emmerson in a ceremonial "ribbon cutting" outside MCO Stouffville.
Your orthodontist in Markham and Stouffville, Ontario wants to keep you educated on all aspects of your orthodontic treatment. The technical term for a “bad bite” is a malocclusion. There are many different types of malocclusions depending on what the exact nature of the problem.
Orthodontists use a 3 classification system to describe malocclusions:
1. Class 1- the back teeth fit together as they should, but there are other issues such as crowding, rotations, spacing, etc.
2. Class 2- the upper teeth are too far forward compared to the bottom teeth, along with issues described above (typically referred to as an "overbite", but the technical term is overjet)
3. Class 3- the lower teeth are too far forward compare to the upper ones, along with issues described above (often referred to as an underbite)
The problem with malocclusions is not only cosmetic. They may cause teeth to be more easily traumatized, cause excessive wear of enamel, and contribute to issues such as TMJ disorder. Fortunately, Dr. Tam and his team at MCO are specialists in correcting these kinds of issues so that you can have both a beautiful and healthy smile! We have many different options including Invisalign, so don't be afraid to come in for a free consultation :).
Whenever possible, your Stouffville Orthodontist will avoid extractions for orthodontic treatment. If there is any possibility that treatment can proceed without tooth removal, Dr. Tam will delay extraction as long as possible. Generally, braces are placed on the teeth before any teeth are taken out.
There are a few ways to avoid extractions in treatment:
1. Start off with adequate space to align teeth.
2.Expand the jaws in children before puberty.
3.Procline the teeth to increase arch perimeter.
4.Distalize teeth, pushing them back along the ridge of bone in the jaw.
5.Judicious IPR, slenderization, or selective grinding of the teeth to create space.
However, there are times when extractions should cannot always be avoided:
1.Excessive crowding.
2.Protrusive profile (too many teeth for the mouth, causing an overly full profile or open mouth, even when relaxed)
3.Existing bone loss or thin bone that would be compromised by excessive expansion of the jaws.
4.Correction of excessively non-coincident midlines.
5.Removal of wisdom teeth
Dr. Tam customizes your orthodontic care to deliver the best orthodontic treatment possible for each patient. Contact us at if you would like to come in for a free orthodontic consult!
MCO Stouffville Orthodontics is now open and fully running, servicing Stouffville, Uxbridge, Newmarket, and surrounding communities. Dr. Tam and his team have years of experience in providing excellent orthodontic care and the best customer service possible, with one of the most popular offices in Markham. We have a proven track record and have treated many dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants in North America.
We are proud to support the community and have participated at the Strawberry Festival, supported local sports teams, and Markham Stouffville Hospital. We look forward to showing you the MCO difference and becoming Stouffville's choice for orthodontic care :). Click here to book your free orthodontic consultation with us today!
Your Stouffville Orthodontist fields a lot of questions about braces. Many of our patients are concerned with what they can eat while braces are on the teeth.
Here are a couple of quick tips:
- Do not tear food or chew with your anterior teeth as braces can come off easily this way.
- Cut food up into smaller pieces and chew food with your molars in the back of your mouth.
- Avoid foods that are too sticky as they may make your braces more difficult to clean.
- Take care and get used to your braces on your teeth, so that you give yourself some time to become more aware of the braces on your teeth, and gain more understanding of how to chew to avoid breakage.
There is a common misconception that you cannot eat certain foods during orthodontic treatment. We advise our patients that this is not true, but that foods may have to be consumed in a different manner. The reason for this is to avoid breakage of the appliances or getting food lodged into areas that may make it difficult to clean. For example, if you like ice cubes, you may want to consider sucking on them and allowing them to melt, rather than breaking them with your teeth. Instead of biting into an apple, cut it into pieces and chew at the back of your mouth.
A couple of years ago we had two patients who were at a birthday party and Child A saw Child B pick up a carrot stick and bite on it with his front teeth. Child B mentioned to Child A that he didn't think he was allowed to eat carrots like that. Child A shrugged his shoulders and continued eating. Child B decided to try, bit into the carrot, and broke off a brace :).
The moral of the story here is that different people may have varying experiences with eating and breakage. However, in order to make sure treatment stays on time and to avoid the hassle of having to replace brackets, each person must learn how to eat to take care their braces, as it will vary from person to person.
Being the best Invisalign doctor in Toronto is our goal at your Markham Orthodontist. That's why we are the first orthodontic office in the GTA to acquire the iOC Invisalign intraoral scanner. The scanner will allow us to do away with PVS Invisalign impressions that are normally used to created 3-D models of the teeth. While each one of these machines costs as much as a nice car, MCO Orthodontics decided to purchase two of these to service the more than 100 Invisalign patients that begin treatment with us every year!
The benefits of a 3-D dental scanner:
-no need to have impressions taken, leading to a more comfortable experience and no gagging
-increased accuracy of capture of the teeth
-ability to see the 3-D image of your teeth immediately following the scan
-decreased time required to receive first ClinCheck since models do not need to be created.
The scans generally take between 8-20 minutes, which is comparable to the time required for a full set of impressions. This is a laser and optic scanner, so there is also no concern about any radiation. Unlike other scanning systems, no dust is required to coat the teeth.
Our office has 3 days of hand-on training and will begin using the scanner for all Invisalign and Invisalign Teen patients shortly. We think this is going to really improve the overall Invisalign experience and look forward to helping you smile without braces!
Your Stouffville Orthodontist and Markham Invisalign braces orthodontist is always talking about successful Invisalign treatment, and pushing the boundaries of Invisalign treatment with some of the best Invisalign doctors in North America.
Three things they agreed upon for the best Invisalign results:
1.Patient compliance with 22 hour wear is required and may minimize the need for refinement stages.
2.Use of judicious IPR (interproximal reduction) to create space for teeth to move can improve the success of Invisalign treatment.
3.Invisalign treatment planning may be more difficult than that of traditional fixed braces. A firm understanding of how teeth move with Invisalign and the ability to detect improper movements in ClinCheck simulations are essential.
Dr. Tam is recognized as an Elite Premier Invisalign Provider and Invisalign Teen orthodontist in the Greater Toronto area, serving Markham, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Ajax, Pickering, and Stouffville. He teaches Invisalign nationally and helps dentists and orthodontists with planning Invisalign treatment for their patients. Contact your MCO Stouffville Orthodontist to get started on your way to a beautiful smile!
With our free consultations at your Markham Orthodontist, we often get questions about whether there will be spots, squares, or scars on teeth after braces. The answer is: Absolutely not.Braces are bonded onto the teeth using a system of adhesives and resins.They are removed easily from the teeth using a combination of instruments and fine bur to take away any residual resin left on the teeth.
White spots are the result of poor oral hygiene.If plaque is allowed to accumulate around the braces, they will produce an acid that leeches the teeth, causing a white spot.The shape of the spotting is usually a square, because of the shape of the area around the brace that was not cleaned properly during treatment.While there are some pastes that may improve the mineral content and appearance of white spotting on the teeth after poor oral hygiene with braces, most aesthetic corrections will require the use of veneers or crowns.Fortunately, these areas of decalcification can be completely avoided by practicing good oral hygiene.
At your Stouffville Orthodontist, our team emphasizes proper braces care.We provide you with everything you need to take care of your braces, spend time at your initial visit going over a hands on demonstration on proper cleaning, refer you to your dentist whenever an extra cleaning is required, provide you with additional supplies as needed, and will actually remove braces before treatment is complete if required, to avoid these spots.There is the opportunity to brush and floss without your wires in at each appointment in our toothbrushing area. We also have video on our Markham Braces YouTube page to show you how to clean your teeth properly. We feel very strongly, and most parents agree, that healthy teeth that are crooked are better than straight, spotted teeth with cavities.
As such, with proper oral hygiene, you should expect straight teeth without the formation of white spots on the teeth!Contact us if you would like to schedule your complimentary consultation or have any additional questions.
A lot of our Markham braces and Richmond Hill Invisalign patients often ask us about tooth whitening in Toronto, using whitening toothpastes. The question is whether they actually work, and if not, what works best?
By definition, tooth whitening means whitening teeth back to their natural shade. For many people this may not actually be "white enough". To get teeth whiter than that, bleaching is required. However, bleaching doesn't sound all that great, so dental companies also refer to their bleaching products as whitening, to make them sound more appealing. In other words, whitening toothpaste and whitening gel in trays from the dentist will do different things, even though they have similar descriptive names.
Whitening pastes, mouthwashes, and gum simply need to remove surface stains off the teeth to be certified by the American Dental Association as "whitening". Virtually toothpastes have some kind of abrasives in them that make them whitening. Mouthwashes can rinse surface stains off the teeth, and the mechanical action of chewing gum against the teeth can do the same. It is the companies who have paid the money to the ADA who receive the ADA seal to put on their packaging.
In order to truly get whiter teeth like in the commercials, you will need to do some teeth bleaching, such as gels in a tray, or some of the light-activated systems such as Zoom. Keep in mind that you may experience some transient sensitivity, and that a lot of whitening is due to increasing porosity of the enamel surface. Some dentists liken it to tanning. It may provide nicer aesthetics, it can become addictive, and is not really a healthcare-motivated decision.
After orthodontic treatment at your Markham Orthodontist, we recommend our patients wait a couple of months after braces have been removed so that the teeth can remineralize before using any bleaching method. In general, visiting the dentist for regular cleanings and polishing, as well as maintaining good brushing habits will keep your teeth quite white. Anything beyond natural white will require a visit to an oral health care professional.
Your orthodontist in Markham, was privileged to take part in this year's Hummingbird Study Club meeting at the Grand Hyatt in Dallas Texas. This is an annual event by invitation-only for some of the best orthodontists who have worked with some of the top consultants in our field. It was 3 days of intense orthodontic discussion. Dr. Tam taught orthodontists about Invisalign, office design, and social media. This mutual exchange of information benefits each office, and in turn, improves the future patient experience, so that we can always be at the forefront of our orthodontic profession.
Toronto Invisalign results for upper and lower severe spacing by Dr. Jason K. Tam, Invisalign Elite Provider. This patient was told that she cannot have Invisalign to close her spaces. Her extremely rotated lower canines were also an issue.
With proper planning and treatment, all spaces and rotations were corrected, and she now has a beautiful smile! If you are interested in finding your beautiful smile and have been told that Invisalign cannot get you great results, let MCO Orthodontics see what we can do!
We see a lot of people for free consultations who are considering braces and Invisalign in Toronto. One of the most common concerns with Richmond Hill braces is to be able to have orthodontic treatment without taking teeth out. The fear is out there. In fact, there are Damon braces, from Ormco, that make the claim that virtually all orthodontic treatment can be done without extraction, as a part of direct marketing to the public.
Some of the biggest reasons for not wanting teeth out are:
-don’t want to take out good teeth
-scared of extractions
-worried spaces won’t close
-possible caved in profile or narrow smile
-won’t have enough teeth to chew with
There are three major reasons for needing teeth out for orthodontics:
1. A non-viable tooth
-Generally, there is no debate from our patients about removing teeth when there is a huge cavity or an abscess.
2. Excessive crowding
-There is a certain amount of space required to align all of the teeth in crowding situations. In order to gain space, the teeth can be expanded out in a lateral direction, proclined in an anterior direction, distalized to the posterior, or we can do some interproximal reduction.
-There may not be enough room to distalize teeth due to the presence of wisdom teeth or lack of ridge of bone, and there may not be enough space between the roots to reduce enamel safely.
-In terms of lateral or anterior movement, the support of the teeth within the bone is important. If the expansion is too great, the teeth will be pushed out of the periodontal complex, leading to problems such as recession, mobility, and an unstable result.
3. Overly full facial profile
There are times when crowding can be alleviated without removal of teeth, but the end result would result in an overly full facial profile. This presents with individuals unable to close their lips without strain, or an appearance of bulging lips. To harmonize the appearance, it is important to retract the anterior teeth, and in order to do that, space is required. Otherwise, there is no room to move the teeth back. Keep in mind that the orthodontist can control the amount of retraction since space can be closed by moving front teeth back, or back teeth forward. This means you do not have to have a “dished-in” profile with extractions.
As seen with Patient #2's Before and After Extractions, there is no problem with closing up space, and as described above, sometimes it is actually healthier and will provide better results when taking teeth out than trying to fit teeth where they will not be stable. In this case, the arch is actually wider after tooth removal than prior. There are a lot of celebs with beautiful smiles, and they have had teeth taken out too!
There are many people who do not have full function of all of their teeth, due to malocclusions, or extractions, and they function well. A proper bite with teeth that are in good occlusion with fewer teeth is better than more teeth that do not fit well together.
Each individual situation is different. At MCO Orthodontics, whenever possible, we do not extract teeth. However, there are instances as described above, when tooth removal is indicated and will produce better long term outcomes. To book your own complimentary evaluation, please visit us here.
One of the most important aspects of your Toronto Invisalign or braces treatment is going to be your retainers. Following any orthodontic care at your Markham Orthodontist, you will need to do something to maintain that beautiful smile. The answer to the amount of time retainers need to be worn is "as long as you want your teeth to stay straight" :).
Our patients have a number of different options for retainers. For our Invisalign patients, we generally recommend Vivera retainers or Invisalign retainers. For our fixed braces patients, we usually recommend a combination of fixed retainers with a removable retainer. Here are some of the options:
Fixed lingual wires
Pros
-don't have to think about taking retainers in and out
-teeth attached to intact wires will not move
-no one can see them
Cons
-only holds teeth they are attached to
-wires require flossing with a floss threader, ie more difficult to maintain
-cannot bite down on front teeth without risk of breaking retainer; if broken, teeth may shift without knowing
-still need removable retainer nightly to maintain posterior teeth
Invisalign aligner retainers or Essix Style retainers
Pros
-excellent aesthetics
-retain all teeth in the arch
-made off your ClinCheck without need for a new impression if you had Invisalign treatment
-no adjustment period since they are the same as all aligners during treatment
Cons
-may need to replace every 3-6 months
-must remember to wear nightly
Traditional Hawley or Circumferential retainers
Pros
-longevity- can last several years
-ability to make small movements by bending wire in certain situations
Cons
-bulkiness
-poor aesthetics
-nightly wear required
-cost of replacement if lost or broken
Vivera retainers
Pros
-can be made off last Clincheck stage or with new impressions
-sturdiness
-superior aesthetics
-minor relapse can be corrected by wearing this retainer full time
-subscriptions can be ordered to defray cost of ordering individual retainers, and after the first retainer, the rest can be mailed to you
-reordering is as simple as a phone call to the orthodontic office as digital impressions are stored
Cons
-replacement required after 9-12 months
-need for nightly wear
Take a look at Dr. Tam's video on Vivera for more information.
As of January 2011, Dr. Jason K. Tam, your top Invisalign Orthodontist in Toronto, has been recognized with Elite Preferred Invisalign status. You may have seen Dr. Tam's Invisalign videos on YouTube
as well as information on the most comprehensive Invisalign website around, at Toronto Braces. There you can compare Invisalign vs Braces, see before and after Invisalign, and how to choose an Invisalign doctor. He also travels nationally to teach dentists and orthodontists on how to use Invisalign.
Elite Preferred Invisalign Status recognizes doctors that have achieved an experience level of the top 1% of all Invisalign providers in the world. It is a designation of the number of patients treated, but there can be still be significant variation between the quality and difficulty level of patients treated. Dr. Tam uses Invisalign as a technique, treated overbites, underbites, extraction cases, combined surgical orthodontics, as well as crowding and spacing. He firmly believes that Invisalign, when used properly can produce beautiful results on par with, and in some cases, better than with fixed braces.
If you have questions about Invisalign and would like to schedule your complimentary consultation with your Elite Richmond Hill Invisalign Orthodontist, please click here.
When potential new patients come to see us at MCO Markham Orthodontics, they have a lot of questions about their future experience with braces and Invisalign. We have a lot of information on our website, including how to take care of your braces, various treatment modalities, as well as before and afters!
Would you like to learn more about what to expect during orthodontic treatment, from someone with firsthand experience? Well, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recently developed the Braces Brigade Blog where past, present, as well as future orthodontic patients from coast to coast document their (or their child’s) orthodontic journeys. The blog will serve as a source of guidance for others as the patients undergo orthodontic care.
Our Markham Orthodontist Team encourages you to visit the Braces Brigade blog to read these great and informative blogs—who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two! As always, don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the Braces Brigade or your own orthodontic treatment!
With any orthodontic treatment, impressions are generally required to produce models for treatment planning. PVS Invisalign Impressions are required for Toronto Invisalign care. However, a new partnership has been formed between Align Technology and Cadent Inc to produce 3D scanners that may eliminate the need for these impressions. This would improve the accuracy of record taking, and improve the experience by not requiring impressions. Rest assured, as soon as this technology is available and proven, we will have it here at MCO Orthodontics in Markham and Stouffville. Here is the press release below:
SAN JOSE, Calif. and CARLSTADT, N.J., Jan. 10, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq:ALGN - News) and Cadent, Inc., today announced an agreement to jointly develop software applications that will run on Cadent iTero(TM) and iOC(TM) scanners for use in Invisalign treatment. The new applications will optimize case assessment and planning for Invisalign treatment, and bring valuable digital tools chair-side for Invisalign providers who use Cadent scanners.
"The joint development agreement with Cadent is in line with our long-term strategic initiatives of improving the Invisalign customer experience through innovation," said Thomas M. Prescott, Align president and CEO. "Our partnership with Cadent allows us to leverage our own and other innovative technology to bring digital diagnosis and treatment tools conveniently chair-side in customers' practices."
"Cadent's powder-free scanning technology is fundamental for meeting the precision demanded by Align's standards," said Timothy Mack, Cadent president and CEO. "We are honored to develop new Invisalign applications which leverage our combined technologies and create value for our mutual customers and their patients. Integration with Invisalign has been one of the most widely requested enhancements by both general practitioners who use the iTero system and orthodontists who are using the iOC system."
Over the past few years, Align has worked with several manufacturers of intra-oral scanning (IOS) systems to evaluate interoperability of these systems for future use with Invisalign treatment. Rigorous standards for scan quality and accuracy have been defined by Align to ensure a specific scanning technology can successfully replace the physical impressions currently used in an Invisalign case submission. As part of that program, Align is currently in final beta tests with Cadent to validate their systems for use with Invisalign and expects to announce interoperability in the second quarter of 2011.
Under the terms of the agreement, Align will fund several million dollars for Cadent software development over the next few quarters in order to accelerate the availability of these chair-side applications. Align will own all rights to the developed applications and technology. Additional information regarding these new Invisalign applications will be provided closer to commercial launch.
