Dr Kenneth Lew - Residency Program in Aligner Orthodontics (Group 3)

Orthodontics


19 November 2023 - 04 March 2024 Venue
KL Trillion, Kuala Lumpur
Ended
Presenters
user
DR. KENNETH LEW

Since 2010, the Clear Aligner (CA) industry has grown dramatically, helping many patients who want better smiles get the smiles they want without the use of fixed braces. With its rapid growth, however, we as dentists have faced several challenges as the biomechanics and management of an Aligner patient is somewhat different from Fixed braces. Lacking a sound foundation in clear aligners, aligner treatment occasionally became less efficient and therefore could not meet the standard of care expected of traditional Fixed braces. To add to the complexity of managing these patients, were 2 major challenges – one of which was the ability to interpret the Digital Treatment Plan as to how realistic the plan would be. The other was the challenge of any removable appliance – motivation for co-operation. Foreseeing that CA may be something some dentists would eventually incorporate in their daily orthodontic practice, we wanted to improve what dentists could do and cement a protocol for managing the Clear Aligner patient, predictably.

This Mini-residency Clear Aligner (CA) program endeavours to help dentists achieve the same predictability and high-quality results of traditional orthodontics. The clear aligners modules have been specially curated also to handle the myriad of different aligner systems in the market as most clear aligners have certain commonalities in their workflow. Doctors will be armed with the ability to discern and select which cases are those that can achieve results predictably and which cases would be those that would pose a challenge and may need auxiliaries like Sectional fixed braces and Temporary Anchorage Devices (TADs). Doctors would also be taught what are some tell-tale diagnostic criteria which may impact decisions in treatment planning, what are some movements to avoid so as we achieve clinical predictability while respecting biological limitations and finishing techniques. Doctors would be exposed how to handle patients who are failures to clear aligners and would like to offer Sectional Lingual braces to align 6 anterior teeth.

We have trained thousands of dentists to provide quality orthodontic care in Fixed Orthodontics since 2000 regionally. Invisalign Certified since 2005 and having experience of using many other aligner systems, we are now introducing our Modular Clear Aligner course to provide a researched curriculum, so that GPs and orthodontists can effectively grow their orthodontic practices within their dental practice. Building a foundation in clear aligners would allow the doctors to choose a clear aligners system that would best fit the demands of their patients, as there are so many systems available in the market today. This generic clear aligner course draws principles from many aligner systems and try to bring out some commonalities and differences among different clear aligners systems. The intention of this course is to provide a non-biased training in orthodontic treatment of the clear aligners patient from A to Z.

Six days of education will give you the tools to choose the right cases for clear aligner treatment and how to incorporate orthodontic adjuncts used in fixed braces to help treat more challenging cases in more challenging Class I, Class II, and Class III extraction and non-extraction modalities. To simulate the challenges in clinical practice of aligners, Hands-on workshops have been incorporated in the modules.

Course Highlights

  • Aligner orthodontic mechanics and principles made simple.
  • Not commercially driven.
  • Hands-on workshop on sectional fixed with aligners, buttons to settle posterior open bite. Use of TADs with aligners.
  • Building the clear aligner orthodontics team.
  • The transition from Straightwire Appliance (fixed braces) to clear aligners.
  • Future directions in the clear aligner space.
  • Fundamentals in Biomechanics of Fixed braces and Clear aligners - why they are so different?
  • Selecting the right cases to start clear aligners (simple cases).
  • The importance of good records in clear aligners treatment.
  • The digital workflow starts with an Intra-Oral (IOS) Scan or PVS impression. Is the difference material or academic?
  • The treatment planning software - is this double and predictable?
  • Plastics used to fabricate clear aligners – is there a difference? 3D printing of models to be used for Aligner Fabrication.
  • Considerations in attachment placement – are they all needed? THEORY AND HANDS-ON
  • Attachments bonded to aligners, engagers, power ridges, bite ramps.
  • The treatment planning appointment discussing the digital treatment.
  • Interproximal reduction (IPR), Expansion (Anterior – proclination, lateral , posterior – Distalization).
  • The delivery of aligners.
  • Informed consent for Clear Aligners (CA) and Temporary Anchorage Devices (TAD).
  • The clear aligners patient – From patient acquisition, patient evaluation, clinical/ex-clinical, engagement during the process of treatment planning, review visits and diagnosis to delivery of aligners.
  • Monitoring treatment clinically and remote monitoring.
  • Class I treatment with clear aligners.
  • Anterior-posterior malocclusion (I): Class II treatment with clear aligners – HANDS ON: CUTS AND CUT OUTS and utilization of various aligner pliers.
  • Anterior-posterior malocclusion (II): Class III treatment with clear aligners.
  • Trouble shooting and case finishing – Adding torque with torqueing aligner plier, button cutter, tear drop elastic plier.
  • Unsatisfactory extraction space closure and posterior open bite - how to deal with this using auxiliaries - Buttons and Sectional fixed HANDS ON.

  • Vertical malocclusion (I) - Anterior open bite treatment with clear aligners. Treatment with and without TADs- when to indicate.
  • Movements that are less likely to relapse – is there a difference between active extrusion and passive extrusion and molar intrusion?
  • Vertical Malocclusion (II) – Deep bite treatment with clear aligners.
  • Transverse Malocclusion and facial asymmetry treatment with clear aligners.
  • Aligner protocol (I) – Extraction lower incisor.
  • Aligner protocol (II) – Extraction premolar.
  • Aligner protocol (III) – Orthodontic-Restorative.
  • Aligner Protocol (IV) – Orthodontic-periodontics.
  • Aligner Protocol (V) – Orthognathic surgery.