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Showing off at AAO: 109th annual session unveils new insights, new technology, new products

A view of the exhibit hall floor during the AAO Annual Session. (DTI/Photo Fred Michmershuizen)
Kristine Colker, DTA

Kristine Colker, DTA

Mon. 1 June 2009

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BOSTON, MA, USA: By the time the attendees of the American Association of Orthodontists’ 109th Annual Session, held here 1–5 May, headed home, they were leaving with more than they had come with. Some carried products — everything from wires and brackets to toothpaste and floss. Some carried souvenirs of Boston — Red Sox hats and 'Cheers' pint glasses, to name a few. One man, Dr Paul McAllister of Lincoln, NE, USA, had a brand new Mini Cooper he won from Dentsply GAC. But one thing most everyone left with was more knowledge and insight than they had started with.

For four days, attendees — from specialists to staff to students — attended a myriad of lectures on topics as wide ranging as communication with your patients to discussions of root resorption. Other popular topics during the event included Dr Anthony A. Gianelly on 'Evidence-based Orthodontics: Friend or Foe,' Ravindra Nanda on 'Achieving Treatment Goals with Predictable Mechanics: A 40-year Perspective,' Dr Steven Jay Bowman on 'Miniscrews: Be Careful What You Wish For!,' Dr Flavio A. Uribe on 'Enhancing the Speed of Tooth Movement: Can We Alter the Biology?,' Dr Frank Celenza on 'Seeking Interdisciplinary Excellence,' Dr Franco Mangini on 'TMJ and Craniofacial Pain: Legend and Reality' and W. Eugene Roberts on 'Early Treatments and Clinical Outcomes.'

Sessions were divided into courses for doctors as well as courses for staff. On the staff side, topics included everything from the first impressions you get from prospective patients to infection control to surviving in the new world of 3-D imaging. There were even a number of hands-on courses including such topics as orthodontic photography, PVS impressions and wire bending.

One new feature this year was the clinical simulcasts where a doctor and dental assistant worked live on a patient. During Dr Mark Yanosky’s 3 May presentation on laser surgery, the room was packed as attendees watched him demonstrate three laser procedures right in front of them.

On the exhibit hall floor

When attendees weren’t busy acquiring knowledge in the various sessions, many of them could be found over in the exhibit hall, where brightly colored tote bags hung from shoulders as a representation of products purchased — black and pink for Opal Orthodontics, blue for Forestadent, red for 3M.

At OrthoSynetics, participating in a practice challenge got you entered in a drawing to win a trip for two to anywhere. At ChaseHealthAdvance, attendees could putt for prizes, including the Golf Digest-rated No. 1 putter, the Nike 20-10. At GAC, where six different stations offered attendees a chance to learn more about products to help promote efficiency in their practices, a visit to the booth earned visitors a scratch-off card with a chance to become one of 10 finalists. On Monday afternoon, those 10 finalists gathered around a new Mini Cooper and were given a key to put in a panel. Dr Paul McAllister’s key fit the lock, and he left Boston one car richer.

Many of the exhibiting companies unveiled new products.

ClassOne Orthodontics, based in Lubbock, TX, USA, unveiled SeLECT Defense orthodontic products that are designed to offer added protection against bacteria for patients with fixed appliances. According to Dr Julian E. Spallholz, a member of the educational team at Texas Tech University where SeLECT Defense was developed, the products use the element selenium to inhibit bacterial growth. As Dr Spallholz explained to Ortho Tribune, the plaque barrier lasts for a patient’s entire treatment and does not leach into the environment. Most importantly, he said, SeLECT Defense reduces the occurrence of decalcification and white spots.

Another company unveiling a product to offer protection against bacteria was Opal Orthodontics by Ultradent, with its Opal Seal recharging orthodontic bonding. Opal Seal is a 38 per cent filled primer that releases and recharges fluoride. Jeff Smith, marketing manager at Opal Orthodontics, said that Opal Seal releases fluoride throughout a patient’s treatment, thereby fighting bacteria along the way.

Ortho Technology unveiled its new Lotus Passive Self-Ligating Bracket System. Paul Wilkens, vice president of marketing and product development for Ortho Technology, told Ortho Tribune that the system was designed for maximum patient comfort and hygiene. “Archwire changes with the Lotus are fast and economical,” Wilkens said. Lotus features a unique, patented clip made of wear-resistant, high-quality nickel titanium designed for flexibility throughout a patient’s treatment. “Perhaps best of all,” he said, “is the passive design of the Lotus clip, which eliminates friction and ultimately results in fast and effective tooth movement.”

Also new from Ortho Technology is the Spider Screw Temporary Anchorage System. Created by Dr Giuliano Maino DDS, MD, the Spider Screw can be placed in the maxilla or mandible even in cases where access is limited and bone quality is less than ideal. The system offers a number of versatile anchorage options capable of immediate loading. The Spider Screw’s thread shape has an asymmetrical profile, making it easy to place while ensuring maximum stability. The Spider Screw features a bracket-like head design with perpendicular round slots, generous under tie wing area, and is available in short or long collared neck styles.

Cadent OrthoCAD showed off its new software package for the iTero, the iTero Digital Impressions. The iTero is capable of capturing a digital orthodontic impression in six to eight minutes, or less, for a completed arch and bite registration. A 3-D model is available in minutes for consultation with the patient.

Over at the tops booth, the company — which was handing out bright pink buttons that had such witty sayings as 'Touch my app' — was proudly showing off its new topsEcho iPhone application, which with just a touch can provide up-to-the-minute access to patient information and images, schedules, referrals, treatment notes and more. And because the application requires a secure password and is only accessing information from a server, rather than storing it on a user’s cell phone, there is never any worry about someone falsely gaining such private information.

“One of the great things about the iPhone app is the live connectivity — the connection is direct and speedy,” said tops founder and CEO Dr Mark Sanchez. “As an orthodontist, to me, it’s a nice follow-up tool — I can call patients, I can check the schedule. If something changes on the schedule, I can see it. With topsEcho, I know everything.”

For Proctor & Gamble, just launching its new Ortho Essentials program wasn’t enough. The company hosted a reception the night of 3 May to discuss the idea behind the three-step oral hygiene program. Ortho Essentials is a program designed to help orthodontists streamline and strengthen their oral hygiene control procedures by standardizing their check ups, consistently reporting their results and making sure patients improve their oral hygiene at home. This is accomplished by the use of the Oral-B Triumph toothbrush with SmartGuard, Crest PRO-HEALTH toothpaste and rinse, a rating system, an assessment card and a contract for both orthodontists and patients to sign.

“I saw patients in my practice not ending up the way we wanted them to in regards to hygiene,” said Dr Duncan Brown, the orthodontist behind the Ortho Essentials program. “Hygiene is a great untapped resource for orthodontists.”

Next year’s AAO Annual Session will be held 30 April–4 May in Washington, DC, USA. For more on this year’s AAO, including photos and interviews, pick up the May and June issues of Ortho Tribune.

(Additional reporting by Fred Michmershuizen, Online Editor)

 

One thought on “Showing off at AAO: 109th annual session unveils new insights, new technology, new products

  1. Kulkarni Sudhir Nilkanth says:

    I read about AAO2019 in Indian newspaper. I am interested in research on diabetic eye. Please send me papers presented on this theme.

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