Archive for the ‘ Doctor ’ Category

In 2002, when I was an orthodontic resident at the University of Connecticut, I snuck out of my residency program for a long weekend with the defense that I was “visiting family” for a so-called “family emergency” in San Francisco. Although I do indeed have family in the Bay Area, this was no crisis! Our […]

I help doctors submit for refinements/ additional aligners every day. Here’s what I need to know first: 1. What aligner is the patient currently holding on? 2. Did you take new scan/impression? 3. Did you remove the old attachments before the impression?   Here’s a guide to doing it yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeZxTnM81AU&t=1506s   If you need […]

This article will bring to you relevant questions and answers that will reveal the pearls required for achieving efficient and profitable orthodontic practice in a GP Practice. Q. 1 What are the steps to take when incorporating orthodontics into a GP practice? There is no “one size fits all approach” to launching or scaling orthodontics […]

First of all, I want to preface this blog that I’ve avoided writing this blog because I am emphatically against premolar extractions for a zillion reasons. Most of the time it’s overkill and not necessary, especially with early intervention. That being said, I want to give my “rules” for extractions:1. Always, always get a ceph […]

Oral habits like thumb-sucking and using a pacifier use can be normal, soothing reflexes from birth to one year of age. The majority of children naturally outgrow their habit easily on their own. However, habits that persist after the age of three or four risk oral complications: Crooked teeth Narrow arches Proclined teeth (AKA buck […]

Ultimately, you’ll need to consult your dental practice act in your state or country for the answer on this question.For me, I only take cephs if there’s a benefit from the cephs. I take cephs on growing kids who need AP or vertical changes and on adults where we are contemplating making drastic AP or […]

Discomfort is real in orthodontics. I’ve had both braces and aligners as a patient several times and I’ve also treated tens of thousands of orthodontic patients. I can tell you that the pain IS real and management of discomfort is critical to patient trust and compliance.I always address the elephant in the room at the […]

Anterior openbites are frustrating in every patient. Too often, I see doctors just jumping-in and trusting the treatment planners into a plan that isn’t predictable or retainable long-term.I always say, doctors should never take an openbite case until they’ve been a detective first. They need to find all the etiologies and treat those FIRST and […]

Non-Compliance can be very frustrating in orthodontics. As you scale up, it is unfortunately inevitable that you’ll experience non-compliance on a regular basis. The key to overcoming it is to have a plan of action.Establish Expectations Upfront with Parents and PatientsBefore I even get started, I always discuss expectations in the contract with parents and […]

I like to think about orthodontic case selection for general dentists as falling in to either green, yellow or red light categories:1. Green Light:These criteria apply to all general dentists, regardless of experience level. • Class 1 molar AND canine. • No missing or impacted teeth except 3rd molars.• No history of present or past […]