Predictability, Comfort, and Patient Compliance with Clear Aligners
I began using Reveal Clear Aligners in my practice about two years ago. Having worked with several other aligner brands, I was intrigued by the idea that I could use fewer attachments for my Reveal cases. Granted, the use of attachments can have its benefits, but I’ve always erred on the conservative side with my treatment. I like to start with as few attachments as possible and add them, if needed, as the case progresses.
Fortunately, as my Reveal cases have moved along, I’ve often found that I don’t need as many attachments as I previously anticipated. So, being conservative in my treatment plans has allowed my patients more comfort throughout the treatment with fewer attachments.
Another favorite aspect of Reveal is the apparent comfort of the trays. In comparison to the other aligner brands I use, I’ve been hearing more from patients that the trays just feel nicer. Due in part to the trim of the tray and smoothness of tray material, the comfort level has been fairly high with my Reveal cases. That’s important to me, as a dentist, because the more comfortable my patients are, the better chance I have of them being compliant with the treatment. And the more compliant they are, the faster and more successful the outcome.
Case In Point
One recently completed case involved a 24-year-old male who never had braces and was always a bit self-conscious about the crowding of his teeth. At this point, he was about to move out of town and wanted to improve his smile. He had a decent amount of overlapping, especially in front on Nos. 8 and 9, and significant crowding in the lower anterior. Because his bite was pretty stable, we decided he was a good candidate for clear aligners.
The treatment involved 24 trays and began after interproximal reduction. As is my protocol, I saw the patient a month after beginning treatment and then no more than every two months throughout the course of the case, which was completed in 11 months. No attachments were needed, and we did just one refinement involving 9 trays.
Ultimately, we were able to resolve the crowding, make his smile a little brighter, and get him to the point where he was super happy, because he’d never had straight teeth before.
Patient Satisfaction
Two years into my Reveal journey, I’ve finished several cases and have others nearing completion. So far, I have no complaints as far as how the cases have tracked, which is not only to the credit of the treatment plans and aligners, but also to patient compliance. Granted, you’ll always have a small percentage of patients who struggle to wear the aligners 100% of the time that they’re not eating, but with Reveal I’ve had a lot of patients say, “Hey, I like these, they’re comfortable, so it's been easy to integrate them into my lifestyle.”
Thanks to the comfort, clarity, and precision of the trays, I’ve been able to make my patients happy with effective orthodontic treatment.
REVEAL CLEAR ALIGNERS
Reveal Clear Aligners offer a solution for general practitioners to provide reliable orthodontic treatment to their patients that is both comfortable and esthetic. With in-office implementation support and access to an array of unique marketing services, Reveal can help dentists compete against direct-to-consumer aligner companies and grow their practices.
After graduating from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio’s School of Dentistry, Dr. Andrew Lazaris completed a 2-year general practice residency in Oklahoma City, OK. He is the founder and co-owner of a technologically advanced multispecialty dental practice in Plano, TX, and holds Fellowships with the AGD, ICD, ACD, and Pierre Fauchard Academy
