Blog

State of the Art iTero digital scanning

At Michael Woods Orthodontics, our aim is to provide really comfortable and caring treatment for our patients of all ages. This year, we have moved all our record taking and device construction to a full digital platform - using the iTero Element scanner. This iTero scanner allows high-definition 3D colour images of the teeth and gums to be gathered in less than five minutes. These scans can be moved around easily so that the alignment of the teeth, the bite and the shape of the gum tissues can be carefully viewed from every angle.

Orthodontic Appointments during stage 4 lockdown

To all our patients and families,

We hope that you are all safe and well. During this 6-week Victorian lock-down, we will be following the recommended Australian Dental Association Level 3 guidelines. This is very much as we were practising during the first lock-down in April/May. Throughout the Pandemic, we have made many changes in our practice – waiting room furniture is sparse, hand-sanitizer is available to all, temperatures will be checked on arrival, we will try to only have one patient in the clinic at any time. All staff will continue to wear appropriate PPE, hands will be washed after every patient and hand-sanitizer will be used before placing new gloves for every patient.

We will not be seeing older patients at all.
We will not be putting on new braces, constructing new devices or removing any braces.
No diagnostic records will be taken.
No retainer check appointments will be made.
Most discussions and new patient consultations will be undertaken by Zoom.
If possible, no orthodontic arch-wires, elastics or springs will be changed.

According to the recommended guidelines, we will be triaging every patient in full braces at least once during the lock-down - not necessarily changing anything – but making sure that no damage is being done.

While my Royal Melbourne Hospital clinics are on hold for now – I will still be doing approximately 12 hours of online teaching each week for the Latrobe University dental school. I have taken the liberty of posting the most recent ADA level 3/ASO/Dental Board of Australia recommendations below. We have discussed all these things in great detail in our office over the past week or so - as things have rapidly changed.

ACTIVE ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT DURING COVID-19

Australian Society of Orthodontists Inc, Recommendations to specialist practitioners, August 6 2020

“Orthodontics involves placing forces on the teeth to move them through the jaws. These forces are continuous and must be regularly monitored and modified to prevent loss of anchorage, moving the teeth too far in the wrong direction or out of the bony sub-structure. If left unchecked or unmodified for prolonged periods, active orthodontic appliances have the potential to cause significant iatrogenic damage to the teeth and surrounding gingival tissues or at the very least, leave the patient with sub-optimal occlusal and/or aesthetic treatment outcomes. The longer the interval between regular appliance adjustment appointments, the more risk there is of treatment complications or iatrogenic harm. This also raises medico-legal concerns for orthodontic practitioners.”

“At some point under prolonged Level 3 restrictions, orthodontists will need to see all active patients for adjustments to orthodontic appliances in order to progress treatment and mitigate the risk of irreversible damage to a person’s bite, and to individual teeth and the surrounding periodontium. This will vary from patient to patient and the each orthodontist must use their clinical judgement to determine this need on a case by case basis. While monitoring of tooth movement and triaging of patients can sometimes be done remotely via AI technology and Teledentistry means, any force modification procedure (for example, changing an archwire or elastomeric chain) must still be done in person.”

“The ASO encourages orthodontists making treatment decisions to consider all factors and exercise their clinical judgment based on their own education, experience and any unique patient specific factors. Your professional judgement is required to continue to protect yourself, your team members, your patients and the general community during this pandemic.”