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13Lab TribuneMay 3-9, 2010United Kingdom Edition T he objective of this article is to show how Invisalign treatment can easily be implemented into any existing dental office. Being able to rec- ognise which patients are poten- tial candidates will be the first step in achieving a successful outcome. After reading this arti- cle, you should be familiar with the Invisalign criteria and be ready to implement this versatile treatment adjunctive into your practice. Do you have any patients whose teeth look similar to those? These cases are typical of pa- tients that frequently come into a dental office. Many patients do have some sort of misalignment, overlapping, or spacing present in their teeth. The objective of this article is to demonstrate how these types of cases (and many others), can be readily treated using the Invisalign system. Align Technology manufac- tures Invisalign; a custom-made series of clear aligners used to orthodontically rotate, move, and align teeth. The Invisalign proc- ess is straightforward, and allows the practitioner to have full con- trol over the course of treatment. Invisalign is indicated for pa- tients with up to five millimeters of crowding and/or spacing per dental arch. Rotations can be cor- rected within a range from five to forty degrees. Approximately between two to four millimeters of overjet or overbite can be rem- edied using Invisalign. Once a suitable candidate has been selected, and no caries or periodontal issues are noted, detailed polyvinysiloxane (PVS) impressions are to be taken for both arches. In addition, a bite registration is taken along with a series of extra-oral and intra- oral photographs. The photo- graphic requirements are a full face photo, smile shot, profile, anterior teeth, right lateral, left lateral, maxillary and mandibu- lar arches. These are then sent to Invisalign for the patient’s cus- tomized ClinCheck to be created. ClinCheck (Fig. 2) is a 3D virtual movie of the teeth based upon the impressions sent to In- visalign. Treatment progression can be played out to mimic the natural movements of the teeth. This allows the practitioner to visualise the final phase of treat- ment, and make any adjustments as needed. Once the layout has been designed and approved, aligners are made in sequence based upon the projected Clin- Check models. In certain cases, interproxi- mal reduction (IPR) may be nec- essary. IPR allows the practition- er to create room in an otherwise constricted area, so that there is adequate space for the necessary tooth rotations or repositioning. IPR is achieved with the use of diamond strips and/or rotary disks, and is prepared before the actual tooth movements occur. The patient wears each set of aligners for a two-week period. Aligners are worn full time, ex- cept when eating, drinking, and performing oral hygiene. During this phase, the patient is typi- cally seen every month to moni- tor treatment progression and Many practitioners are not aware of the wide range of cases the Invisalign system can treat, insists Dr Benjamin Schwartz, who offers some examples of its flexibility Implementing Invisalign page 14DTà ESTETICA E80 Rise above the rest with KaVo. • Outstanding ergonomics and attractive, highly functional designs. • Innovation at its best. • State of the art technology reliability and functionality at amazingly low prices. From as little as £286* per month excl VAT KaVo Dental Limited · Raans Road, Amersham, Bucks HP6 6JL Tel. 01494 733000 · Fax 01494 431168 · mail: sales@kavo.com · www.kavo.com Contact your local KaVo or Gendex supplier for more details! *Finance is subject to status and for business purposes only. KaVo – Dental Excellence Estetica A4 SELECTED:Layout 1 25/2/09 13:42 Page 1