Will I ever finish this case?
Author: Michael Smith, DDS
You might consider these one-liners to be A Dentist's Greatest Hits for many of your clear aligner cases...
You've recited them so often, you know them by heart.
"I'm making adjustments to your treatment plan. We'll call when your new aligners come in next week."
"This is very common. 75% of our cases require a minor revision."
"Everyone's teeth move at a different pace . . . but don't worry, these extra aligners won't cost you anything."
Most patients are incredibly accepting of this news. Especially coming from their dentist who spins the situation as very common and unavoidable.
But let's talk about how this news affects you . . .
Case refinements cost you time, cost you money, cost you clinical confidence and even cost you patients!
Clear aligner labs have told you to EXPECT at least one case refinement for every case. You've been told that refinements cost you nothing and are not indicative of treatment failure.
This is all FALSE! Case refinements are incredibly costly.
But for today, let's focus on the TRUTH:
Refinements are UNNECESSARY and can be avoided!
Common Causes of Case Refinements
- Patient non compliance
- Poorly placed attachments (excess flash)
- Incorrect delivery of prescribed IPR
- “Micro contacts” that invariably prevent movements from taking place
- Biological factors (ankylosed teeth, tooth anatomy, bone density, perio, etc.)
- Unnecessary movements and attachments
- Misdiagnosis and/or poorly executed treatment plan setup
Many of these listed excuses can be anticipated, managed or overcome especially with experience. But the last one is far and away the single most prevalent:
Optimizing the treatment plan set-up can result in a 92% decrease in the rate of refinements.
Need proof?
National surveys show that GP's report an average refinement rate of over 70%.
Unfortunately, a case refinement is just par for the course - and as a GP I had grown to accept it.
That is until I found ClearTPS, the world's most experienced treatment planning service.
Their orthodontic led clinical team has served GPs globally since 2012 and I've leveraged their expertise since that time. After over 100,000 optimized treatment plans, their refinement rate is only 5%.
Align Technology does not optimize your treatment plan (it says so right in their Terms & Conditions). And "free refinements" are never truly free.
Check out ClearTPS to regain your clinical confidence, regain your patient's confidence, and . . . "finish the case" already--the first time!
ClearTPS will even do a Free Case Evaluation for a case you are considering treating, a case that is in treatment or a case refinement or schedule a Free Clear Aligner Strategy Session. Definitely give them a try. It’s a no-brainer.
Dr. Michael Smith is a Practicing Contributor on the Advisory Board of ClearSmile Network. He runs a successful multi-location family, cosmetic, and implant dental practice in the Houston metro area. Dr. Smith is a Gold level Invisalign provider who has successfully integrated clear aligners into his general practice and has treated hundreds of patients with the clinical support of ClearTPS.