Raising the Digital Bar—from Start to Finish

Some call it the “secret sauce.” Others refer to it as a magic formula, or even a trade secret. No matter the name, successful companies rely on certain protocols that are the keys to success, year after year. In the case of ClearCorrect, the key to success is—pardon the pun—very clear. It’s a constant, ever-evolving commitment to innovation. But to understand the secret behind the success, it’s also instructive to look at how the company has evolved over the years, and speculate on what the future holds.

Having used ClearCorrect clear aligners for more than a decade, Dr. Jeffrey Briney has had a front row seat to observe the aligner company’s remarkable journey of innovation—and it’s been a journey filled with product enhancements no one thought possible just a few years ago. Now occupying a page in dental history books are the days when dentists like Dr. Briney took a simple scan, sent it off to ClearCorrect, and waited for aligners to arrive.

“When I first started using ClearCorrect clear aligners, the original ClearCorrect software that existed back then was actually a PDF!” said Dr. Briney. “Back then, I could only use certain software or computers in the office, and now it’s evolved to the point where ClearPilot is completely web-based and offers a 3D representation of the patient's teeth before, during, and after treatment. It’s pretty remarkable.”

An Empowering Digital Workflow

This remarkable evolvement can be summed up in just one word—and that word is digital. According to Dr. Briney, dentistry as a whole and ClearCorrect specifically have quickly adapted and been at the forefront of an emerging digital workflow that reaches across the board to other industries but is especially prevalent in the field of dentistry. Incorporating 3D into the ClearCorrect workflow has allowed clinicians to make more confident, complete diagnoses in not only orthodontic treatment but in a host of dental specialties as well.

Outward Growth

“The digital workflow has been a key game-changer,” Dr. Briney shared. “Being able to do all the different avenues of dentistry—from surgical, perio, cosmetic, and restorative to clear aligners and orthodontics—in one digital workflow helps with not only a more complete patient diagnosis but also allows us to design a more solidified treatment plan for each particular patient.”

This complete picture of a patient’s oral health is largely due to ClearCorrect’s embrace of 3D technology, a technology that has been a driving force behind the growth of Dr. Briney’s digital workflow. “One of the major advancements that ClearCorrect has brought to the table is that we can now incorporate technologies such as 3D CT scans to enhance our diagnoses, as well as ensure better predictions and outcomes for our patients. For example, I never thought that having a 3D scan was necessary when doing clear aligner treatment, but now, every one of my orthodontic patients are all diagnosed and treatment planned according to that scan. So, now I can predict particular movements of a tooth through a 3D image, and confidently predict where those teeth are going to move 3-dimensionally instead of only looking at things in 2D.”

ClearPilot Treatment Planning Software

In just over a decade, ClearCorrect clear aligners, along with the ClearPilot software, have dramatically changed the way general dentists look at cases. Dr. Briney calls the advances “monumental.” For example, he remembers a time when only minor tooth movement was addressed with clear aligners. The proven increase in accuracy from digital scans, when combined with the string of product enhancements from ClearCorrect—such as using the newest version of ClearPilot to visually show tooth movement—has enabled him to treat more complex cases, such as Class II and III arch corrections. Additionally, he can offer more confident predictions. Patients sense this confidence, he says, which has led to even greater case acceptance.

“Just probably 4 or 5 years ago, we weren’t doing a lot of arch correction or major orthodontic treatments with clear aligners,” he explained. “Now, fast forward to today, in addition to ClearCorrect’s tri-layer material, the system also provides advanced planning tools within the ClearPilot software. We’re able to do cutouts and change the placement and the sizes of the engagers that we use to help manipulate and move teeth. I can use what I call the hybrid technique, in which I add elastics onto certain cases. The result of all these advancements is that I’m completely comfortable treating 100% of my orthodontic patients with clear aligners. In fact, I have never felt more confident showing patients where they are today and where our predictions and outcomes are going to lead after a year of clear aligner therapy. This combination of software, digital workflow, clear aligner therapies, and materials will get patients to that final desired outcome.”

Stay Tuned…

Having witnessed so many advancements in such a short period of time, is the best yet to come? Dr. Briney believes it is. ClearCorrect’s “Empowering Digital Workflow,” in addition to an open platform and greater customization and control with the recently released ClearPilot 8.0, features the Sync Mobile App as well as a Doctor Portal, which allows clinicians to manage cases more efficiently and collaborate with staff and other clinicians.

Additionally, Dr. Briney points to the fact that Straumann will be unveiling a unique technology that embraces the artificial intelligence sector of dentistry and will allow clinicians to customize a patient’s smile with their surrounding face.

“This new enhancement will allow us to be more like artists and creators that can actually fit the smile to each patient’s specific face, instead of using the same brush for every patient,” he explained. “I do a lot of research and development with Straumann, and I can honestly say the next phase of development is going to take ClearCorrect clear aligners to a whole different level, one that is so impressive that I could not have even predicted it a year ago,” he promised.