#5 NOW LET’S BE CLEAR
So popular have clear aligners become as a way to straighten the teeth discreetly, that a Singapore outfit has now come up with its own in-house brand – AAA Aligners. DR NURUL AIZAT of FDC Dental Group tells us more.
How many of your patients go for clear aligners?
Partly due to the drop in fees for treatment with aligners, we now see about 70 percent of patients opting for them. Five or eight years ago, it was more like 40 percent.
What are the advantages?
Firstly, clear aligners are virtually invisible. Secondly, they’re removed for meals so you can eat your favourite foods without worrying about dislodging the brackets. Thirdly, they promote good oral hygiene – unlike traditional braces where food tends to get stuck in between the wires, brackets and teeth.
How are clear aligners made?
After a mould is taken of the patient’s teeth, the mould is scanned and a bespoke software is used to plan the movement of the existing teeth to a new and aligned position. Using this computer simulation, multiple aligners are then created for each step of the way to the desired outcome.
Who is a suitable candidate for clear aligners – and who may not be?
As with all aesthetic treatments, clear aligners are not suitable for a patient who has existing gum problems, tooth decay and poor oral hygiene. That said, we have treated a wide variety of patients, and with treatment ranging from simple to complicated. The more complicated the situation, the longer the treatment may take – and conventional braces may sometimes be a better way to achieve correction.
Are the new AAA aligners launched by FDC in March this year different from well-known brands such as Invisalign?
There are slight differences in the aligners, but what matters most is that the clinician is able to troubleshoot any problems that may arise along the way. With AAA aligners, FDC has control from the mould-taking stage to the issuing of the aligners, because we have the necessary technical knowhow, the machines and the software. And we do have Invisalign-certified clinicians within our group, too.
What is the roll-out plan for your new AAA aligners?
Though they’re available mainly in our clinics in the southern part of Singapore, we aim to be offering them at all 21 of our clinics by the end of the year. For the next decade at least, there’s no doubt that 3D printing technology will be the main focus of dentistry. Progress like this is exciting, because it means we can look forward to more predictability and more consistent results.