If your patients chose clear braces to correct malocclusions, these decisions indicate that they care about limiting the visibility of dental work. Many teens do not like the idea of smiling with a “mouth full of metal.” This is especially true for adults who work in a professional environment. However, after the braces come off, patients still need to wear a retainer to maintain their progress. Patients who are sensitive to highly visible dental work may prefer the Zendura Invisible Retainer.

As its name suggests, the Zendura Invisible Retainer is made from a clear polymer that achieves a high level of translucence. Patients will appreciate that this retainer is not easy to see and is also simple to remove. These features make it more likely that patients will comply with your usage recommendations.

As a dentist, you can play a primary role in improving your patients overall health. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, as many as 40 million Americans could have sleep apnea – and up to 80% of those with the condition are undiagnosed. Chances are at least some of your patients are suffering from sleep apnea and may not even be aware of it.

Developing a screening program for your patients is the best way to identify those who might be suffering from sleep apnea.  A good start is to ask a few simple questions.  For example, ask your patients if they feel tired when they get up in the morning, have trouble focusing, and/or struggle to remain alert and energetic throughout the day. Often times a spouse or partner will complain of loud snoring, and can help identify that they are experiencing sleep apnea. Of course, they will need to be diagnosed by a taking a sleep test, but when they are, you can offer a number of solutions as there are many oral appliances that are ideal for treating snoring and sleep apnea.

Molars are some of the trickiest and most problematic teeth in the mouth. Often, they don’t erupt just right, and as a dentist or orthodontist, you have to act to prevent poor molar eruption from negatively affecting the rest of your patient’s teeth.

At SML Global, we offer three unique Wilson orthodontic appliances that can assist you in molar tip, torque, and rotation. The appliances are:

• Wilson 3D Palatal Appliance
• Wilson 3D Multi-Action Palatal Appliance
• Wilson 3D Quad-Helix U

All three appliances can help with multi-purpose maxillary arch development, but they can also be used for managing poorly positioned molars as well. To find out which Wilson appliance is the best option for your patient, call SML (Space Maintainers Laboratories. Our helpful technicians will review your case, provide you with a recommendation, and then manufacture the appliance you need. Give us a call today at 800-423-3270. 

If you’ve enjoyed a successful dental practice for at least a few years, chances are you’ve accumulated your share of patient models.  You may wish to keep them for your records, but where do you put them…and how do you protect them from loss or breakage?

What if I told you that you didn’t have to worry about model accumulation or protection? Consider converting to digital models. Using digital models saves you space, time, and effort.

At SML, we can take all of your old models and convert them into digital models that are stored and backed up on our servers.

Do you have a patient experiencing arch loss? This can be a difficult process to stop unless you have a customized appliance that is measured and fitted exactly to your patient’s mouth. A popular option to stop arch loss is the Nance U appliance, fabricated by Space Maintainers Laboratories. 

The Nance U works by maintaining the position of the maxillary molars through the use of an acrylic button. The button pushes down on the pre-maxillary region, adding stability to the device and pressure on the arch to maintain its form.

Dentists need to monitor their patients closely when a Nance U is used.

A clear aligner orthodontic technique offers many benefits over traditional braces. Clear aligners are nearly invisible, which can help teens feel less self-conscious at a point in their lives where self-esteem is often an issue. Additionally, clear trays are removable, allowing teens to eat the foods they want and brush and clean their teeth more easily.

However, are clear orthodontic aligners right for teens and pre-teens? Certainly, there are risks. Younger teens may have more trouble remembering to put in their clear trays each day and may be more susceptible to losing them. As an orthodontist, you will need to evaluate each teen individually. Some teens are highly responsible, while others are flakey and less compliant at the same age. It is less a matter of age than personality.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition that progressively destroys the kidneys, which leads to an increasing host of additional problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease. The condition may also impair the immune system, which means that even relatively minor conditions can be a mortal risk to patients with CKD.

New research from Dr. Irundika Dias of Aston University suggests that inflammatory gum problems, such as excess plaque could be worsening cardiovascular disease in CKD patients. This happens, because bacteria from inflamed gum disease enters the bloodstream, causing clots and narrowing arteries.

Dr. Dias is currently studying whether treating periodontitis will reduce heart disease in patients with CKD.