Los Angeles, CA – ATG/Space Maintainers has announced that in addition to featuring an entire day dedicated to hands-on appliance technology sessions for the general dentist, the upcoming ATPA Mastery Workshop 2012 will focus on effective practice marketing and mastering key aspects of pediatric, cosmetic and sleep dentistry. Enrollment is limited to 100 participants.

The 9th annual Appliance Therapy Practitioners Association Symposium is an education-driven gathering of dental professionals, clinicians and field-related experts to be held March 8 through March 11, 2012, at the Green Valley Ranch Resort and Spa in Las Vegas, NV. The four full days of lectures, instruction and workshops will include Early Orthodontic Treatment in the Deciduous and Mixed Dentition by Dr. Bruce Gallent; Adult Cosmetic Tooth Movement by Payam C. Ataii, DMD; Steven R. Olmos, DDS, DABCP, DAAPM, FAAOP, FAACP, FICCMO, FADI on Integrating Dental Sleep Medicine into Your Practice; Dr Jeffrey S. Haddad on Social Media for the Everyday Practice; and Dental Marketers, Inc President Harold Meredith on Growing Your Practice from Within.

Q & A With the Experts.

“Dental Sleep Medicine, pediatric dentistry and cosmetic minor tooth movement are arguably the largest growth areas in the dental field today,” explained ATG/Space Maintainers CEO Dr. Rob Veis, adding “and ATPA’s focused, in-depth approach to appliance therapy education and training addresses the desire of dentists to explore and master the practice-building opportunities inherent in these key disciplines.”

The all-day program of Saturday Mini-Clinics will address every thing from chair-side fitting, adjustment and space maintenance to the taking of optimum construction bites. Seminar–goers will have the opportunity to earn as many as 22 CE (Continuing Education) credits – certification opportunities for Dr. Duane C. Keller’s Perio-Protect® Method and Dr. Dave Singh’s DNA Appliance System — as well as initiate and grow future relationships, programs and partnerships.

ATG/Space Maintainers is comprised of five divisions and offices in the United States, Canada, Australia, Taiwan and Malaysia. It services more than 150,000 dentists and orthodontists worldwide, providing direct and personal access to everything required for success in appliance therapy – and has been doing it for more than fifty years. The Appliance Therapy Practitioners’ Association is an organization of leading dental professionals dedicated to advancing the cause of appliance therapy in our profession and promoting the benefits of appliance therapy to our patients worldwide.

For detailed information on the ATPA Symposium, visit online at: www.ATPASymposium.com or call (800) 423-3270.

Filed Under: Archives, ATPA

Click for our Appliance of the Month

Speaker:
Rob Veis, DDS
CEO, Appliance Therapy Group

When I was in dental school, we were taught virtually nothing of orthodontics. We were certainly not taught how to integrate appliance therapy into our practice. We were taught the basics, but never to the extent that we could actually hope to perform the procedures ourselves. We were taught how to make referrals.

The unfortunate truth? Nothing has really changed.

In spite of all the learned arguments and curriculum listings presented to substantiate the contrary, the average dentist today feels ill equipped to take care of basic orthodontic problems. As a result, they lose professional ground and are denied the economic opportunity to advance their practice. This, in turn, ends up costing their patients more money for care and treatments — an expense that might not have been required had they been treated early.

Growth, development and early orthodontic treatment problems don’t get better on their own. Unfortunately when you can’t recognize the problems — or feel that you can’t address the problem — you certainly can’t treat or refer these cases early on.

If a patient has lost teeth early or is in crossbite . . . or has an underdeveloped mandible (or maxilla) . . . or has an airway or allergy problem, you’re not going to regain that space without intervention. And failure to intervene can lead to adult TMD later on.

The goal of Appliance Therapy is to provide the best, most economical care possible over the life of the patient — while providing the dentist the opportunity to provide needed therapy and make a good living. These are not mutually exclusive concepts. In this article we’ll examine how this actually works and how it can actually build your practice.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Space management: maintenance and regaining is often the simple key to preventing a serious malocclusion in the permanent dentition. Follow-up appointments are generally only needed to monitor patient growth.

• Maintain it or regain it: Either one a relatively easy procedure. Ignoring it makes it worse. Supervised neglect — the default position for all too many dentists because they haven’t been trained and they have been taught to fear orthodontics — is not an option.

• The average fee for these procedures ranges from $150 to $400 — and may eliminate the need for further orthodontic care later on (potential cost to patient: $3500 to $8,000). Even if you only place one appliance a month, you can add as much as $4,800 to your bottom line. Why wouldn’t you do it?

WHAT YOU NEED TO LEARN

• What teeth need to be replaced. Children must be evaluated for missing primary teeth in order to determine if any space maintenance is necessary. As a general rule, it is recommended that all space created by missing primary teeth be maintained. In any examination of the child’s developing occlusion, it is essential to analyze the relationship between tooth size and dental arch size. This is especially important during the transition from the deciduous arch to the permanent arch.

• How to do a mixed dentition analysis. During the transition period, the adult cuspid and two premolars will erupt. Because the space available for their eruption and final position is limited by the position of the first permanent molar and the lateral incisor, a Mixed Dentition Analysis should be performed to determine if the dental arch contains enough room to accommodate these yet un-erupted permanent teeth. Advantages: 1) minimal systemic error 2) user-friendly — beginner or expert 3) time efficient 4) no special equipment or radiographic projections required 5) easily done in the mouth or on dental casts 6) applicable for both dental arches.

• What appliance(s) to use . . . and when! If a child is brought in to you six months after a tooth has already drifted forward, you need to have the tools with which to evaluate the arch and do a mixed dentition analysis: a set of study casts; a Boley Gauge; a Mixed Dentition Analysis Worksheet.

Use of a simple space maintainer after the early loss of primary teeth is one of the more common clinical procedures in interceptive orthodontics. Although space maintenance can be done with either fixed or removable appliances, fixed appliances are preferred in most situations because they eliminate the question of patient cooperation.

Early space maintenance is the most economical for the patient long term and the dentist gets to make a good living while doing it.

Bottom Line: It doesn’t make any sense not to do it.

For a more detailed, comprehensive discussion of Space Maintenance, Mixed Dentition Space Analysis and the diagnosing of early interceptive orthodontic problems, visit www.appliancetherapy.com or call 800.423.3270.

Filed Under: Archives, ATPA, SMILE Foundation, Space Maintainers Laboratory

Speaker:
Rob Veis, D.D.S.
CEO, Appliance Therapy Group

You can’t read a paper, listen to the radio or watch television without learning something about the latest device, herbal medicine, nasal strip, surgical technique or dental appliance being used to treat snoring.

Bottom Line? Perhaps ten percent of adults snore. And although for most of those afflicted snoring has no serious medical consequences, for an estimated one percent, habitual snoring is the first indication of the potentially life-threatening disorder known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Estimates reveal that sleep disorders are indirectly responsible for more than 41 billion dollars lost each year in job productivity; 17 to 27 billion in motor vehicle accidents; seven billion in work-related accidents; two to four billion dollars a year in home and public mishaps. Clearly there is a problem– a nation-spanning problem demanding immediate (and qualified) attention.

At our most recent ATPA (Appliance Therapy Practitioners Association) Symposium –held annually in Las Vegas, NV– it became evident (based upon attendance at the Sleep Apnea sessions and frequent interactions with symposium attendees) that interest is high, the buzz is on and the potential for exploration, innovation and professional growth in this burgeoning concern are profound, to say the least.

I love the smell of opportunity in the morning!

SLEEP DISORDERS: WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

Up until fairly recently, the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders have traditionally fallen under the jurisdiction of physicians. The sad fact is the majority of physicians have received less than one hour of training in sleep medicine as part of their medical education. Yes, during the course of four years of medical school a mere average of two hours is devoted to teaching medical students anything about sleep and sleep disorders. True story.

The medical community continues to typically treat snoring and sleep apnea with the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy mask, which has a rejection rate of 50% to 80%. Clearly, there is room for improvement.

That said, it is becoming increasingly more evident that today’s dental practitioner has a significant role to play in the successful recognition and treatment of Snoring and Sleep Apnea.

NEW DIRECTIONS

Numerous appliances are presently available and viable for treating snoring and OSA, with many more innovations and breakthroughs expected. Essentially, sleep appliances are for treatment of snoring and mild to moderate OSA — to reduce snoring, make available a higher amount of oxygen and eliminate excessive daytime sleepiness — in the interest of ensuring normal daily function. These are also appropriate for those patients who cannot tolerate a CPAP or are unwilling (or able) to endure surgery.

Most recently, appliances like Dr. Brian Keropian’s Full Breath Breathing Solution have emerged to challenge the usual suspects.
Used in conjunction with an accredited sleep study or the FDA-approved Home Sleep Study and pharyngometer, it is designed to gently keep the mouth open, the air passage free and providing just the right amount of tongue restriction, eliminating any potential jaw pain or TMJ problems. And it has enjoyed phenomenal success, attaining a 72% drop in the Apnea Hypopnea Index (measuring the number of times per hour that the tongue blocks the airway for at least 10 seconds).

Research has proven that sleep appliances such as Dr. Keropian’s actually offer several distinct advantages over other therapy choices. They are relatively inexpensive, non-invasive, easy to fabricate, reversible and well-accepted.

SLEEP APPLIANCES: A GROWING CONCERN

Sleep appliances can work to provide one of or a combination of as many as three therapeutical functions. First, they can reposition the soft palate, bring the tongue forward or lift the hyoid bone. As they reposition, they may also act to stabilize the tissues, preventing airway collapse. Lastly, appliances seem to increase muscle tone.

Appliance designs vary according to desired method of retention; type of material used; method and ease of adjustment; level of vertical control provided; differences in mandibular movement; and finally, whether or not the appliance is lab or office fabricated. Concerns factored into design selection include 1) TMJ health 2) periodontal structures and 3) number and relative overall health of teeth.

Sleep disorder therapy is no longer an ill-served adjunct of the medical GP. And sleep appliances are, in every sense of the word, a going concern–a technological tsunami that is building size and momentum as we speak. Dentists are at the forefront of this new wave, and rightfully so!

Not only does it represent a golden opportunity to embrace the new technology and techniques, it provides you with a positively platinum opportunity to grow your practice. Treating just one patient per month can add as much as $30,000 to your gross yearly income. Treat one per month and the rest will come.

New technology, new frontiers, new prosperity. Excited yet?

World-traveled lecturer, celebrated educator, and veteran dental practitioner, Dr. Rob Veis is also CEO of The Appliance Therapy Group® (ATG). Comprised of Space Maintainers, Inc.®, Success Essentials®, Second Opinion® The Smile Foundation®, and The Appliance Therapy Practioners Association®, ATG is presently celebrating its 51st year of service–more than half a century of sharing innovative appliances, information and insights with dental patients and professionals all over the world.

For more information on today’s dental treatments and technologies, or for online access to The Appliance Therapy Group Archives of accredited studies, publications and timely Practice Building Bulletins, visit www.TheATPA.com or call 800.423.3270

Filed Under: Archives, ATPA, Space Maintainers Laboratory

This isn’t some baby’s modern-looking pacifier; this is the Snor.X, one of the easiest ways to treat snoring with no need for impressions or sizing! The appliance is so simple you could figure out how it work just from its photo, but here’s a short look:

- The tongue is inserted into the sleeve, with slit facing down to accommodate the patient’s frenulum.
- Gently squeeze the bulb at the end of the sleeve to create gentle suction that will hold the patient’s tongue forward.
- Allow bulb to rest on patient’s lips, thereby securing the tongue forward.
- If further extension is needed, the bulb can instead rest on the plastic ring included and creates wider air passage for mouth-breathers.
- That’s all there is to it!

The Snor.X is one-size-fits-all and requires no measurements or alterations, usable by the patient right out of the box. It is approved by the FDA, and unlike other “out of the box” sleep apnea treatments this has zero risk in causing unwanted teeth movement.

As always, you can order this product directly from us:
Call 800-423-3270 or visit Success-Essentials today!

Filed Under: Archives, Success Essentials

Green Valley Ranch, Las Vegas - The ATPA Symposium for 2011 went off without a hitch! With informative presentations such as Dr. Singh’s presentations on Epigenetics and several booths representing the industry’s most helpful and promising companies, this year made it clear that the annual ATPA Symposium is a leading resource for learning trade techniques and networking with dental and orthodontic practitioners from all over the country. Combined with the luxurious hotel/casino and helpful staff of the Green Valley Ranch this annual seminar is gathering more attendees and higher praise all the time. We urge that you book your reservations for 2012 or else miss the opportunity to network with and learn about the best in dental business.

Filed Under: Archives, ATPA

Space Maintainers Laboratories proudly announces the formation of a strategic partnership with Triumphant Athletics Group, Inc. (TAG) for the purpose of manufacturing the company’s new AGILITYGUARD™ (www.agilityguard.com) family of precision-fit, performance-enhancing mouthguards for athletes, sportsmen and fitness enthusiasts.

Dr. Clayton A. Chan

Designed by Dr. Clayton Chan – acknowledged premier authority on neuromuscular occlusion and its application in clinical dentistry and founder of the CHAN OPTIMIZED BITE™ – and Dr. Joseph Andary, consultant to a client base of professional, world-champion and Olympic athletes, AgilityGuard provides significant, natural sports-performance enhancement to a wide range of amateur and competitive athletes desiring to take their training and game performance to the next level.

Based on the scientific principles and optimal alignment techniques developed by Dr. Chan, each AgilityGuard is custom fit to meet each individual’s unique “optimal alignment signature” – a jaw position that helps to unlock true athletic potential.

Once the optimized position is pinpointed, AGILITYGUARD-certified dentists conduct a range of on-the-spot performance tests (agility, balance, strength, range of motion), which allow the patient to measure his or her own personal athletic performance improvement — thus taking the “Is it right for me?” guesswork out of the equation.

Commenting on the new cooperative venture, Space Maintainers Lab President John Christian affirmed, “We are pleased and proud to partner with AgilityGuard in the long-overdue, much anticipated debut of this groundbreaking technology – the best performance mouthguard on the market, offered at the best price. AgilityGuard is an advancement whose time has come.”

Dentists interested in providing the AgilityGuard™ for their patients and/or learning more about the pricing advantage that AgiityGuard provides them can request an introductory kit by calling 800-423-3270.

For more detailed information on AgilityGuard or Space Maintainers Laboratories, visit us online at: www.appliancetherapy.com.

Filed Under: Archives, Space Maintainers Laboratory

The Modified Sved Deprogrammer is an excellent appliance for treating patients who suffer from TMJ pain, Bruxism (i.e grinding or clenching), or migraine headaches. The function of this appliance is similar in concept to the Oakes Splint, the Kois Deprogrammer, and several other “deprogrammers” currently in use; however, this appliance is considered optimum for several important reasons.

First and foremost, the MSD provides excellent retention without discomfort. Several current designs utilize the incisors as the source of retention that commonly causes discomfort due to the general sensitivity of the incisors, especially when one or more are out of alignment. The Modified Sved Deprogrammer utilizes the first bicuspids as the primary source of retention and only caps the incisal edges of the anteriors for support. The Adams Clasps on the bicuspids are easily adjustable if necessary and provide an easy means of removing the appliance when not in use. In addition–as can be seen below–the appliance is reduced significantly in overall size, adding to the comfort factor.

The anterior block is typically finished with a narrow midline acrylic platform that contacts only the lower central incisors, thus prohibiting the patient from clenching due to the nociceptive trigeminal inhibition response. The anterior portion can also be left flat from lateral-to-lateral if desired. The appliance designed with the narrow midline acrylic platform is meant for nighttime wear only. If the patient has a severe case, a daytime appliance can be made that has the flat-bite plane from lateral-to-lateral, opening the vertical just enough to disarticulate the posteriors. This design is virtually invisible and does not interfere with speech due to its small overall size.

Right now the lab fee for this appliance is only $73.00.
Reference Appliance # 11662

Visit online at: Space Maintainers or call (800) 423-3270.

Filed Under: Archives, Space Maintainers Laboratory

The MemRx-A Appliance is the ideal choice to use in cases where the anterior teeth need to be moved labially and is especially useful when used in conjunction with straight-wire mechanics.

The anterior teeth are moved by a sliding anterior wire that is activated by the Inman Power Component (IPC). The sliding anterior wire rests at or below the cingulum of the anterior teeth while a gentle spring force from the nickel-titanium (NiTi) coil springs encourage movement of the anterior teeth.

Adjustment of the IPC is as follows:

1. Place the slotted portion of the tool so that it engages the adjustment collar of the IPC.
2. Push the tool and collar in the direction that will compress the NiTi coil spring.
3. For every millimeter that the IPC moves down the wire, you will feel it “click.”
4. Adjust as necessary; full compression generates the most force whereas partial compression will generate less force.
5. Flowable composite may be placed on the coil spring to neutralize pressure when teeth have moved to desired position.

Anchorage is achieved by using bands on the 6-year molars and the first bicuspids, and a parallel path of insertion must exist between molars and bicuspids for the appliance to fit properly. If no proper path can be found, bonded mesial-occlusal rests may be used instead.

Read more on MemRx at Space Maintainer’s website, including a 8-page PDF featuring specific models.

Note: It is suggested that a ledge of composite be placed just incisal to the wire to inhibit any incisal deflection that may occur once spring pressure is applied.

Filed Under: Archives, Space Maintainers Laboratory

The SMILE Foundation -– an Appliance Therapy Group (ATG) company — has announced the formation of a strategic partnership with the Academy for Sports Dentistry (ASD) to develop the Continuing Education (CE) programs and course materials in the field of Sports Dentistry, with the express interest of providing dental professionals with an opportunity to learn about all aspects of Dental Sports Medicine.

Working closely with ASD-approved faculty and lecturers experienced in Sports Dentistry, the SMILE Foundation will further course offerings to include a comprehensive, multi-level self-study curriculum (available in DVD or online formats) with a provided option to attend live nationwide support seminars and workshops. The SMILE Foundation will develop and publish a set of standards to be followed by all team dentists in addressing and accommodating the needs of each of four markets: professional teams, collegiate teams, high school teams, and amateur teams.

Commenting on the new joint venture, ASD President Dr. Emilio Canal affirmed “We are very excited to be part of this truly unique, unlimited-potential partnership … the world’s leading Sports Dentistry organization and the industry’s premier provider of educational and relevant content, working together to provide dental professionals with a robust, progressive learning format — from introductory to advanced, multiple case scenarios to standardized field kits and forms.”

One or more of the educational components will be taught at the Academy’s annual symposium and ASD will issue certificates to each dentist upon completion of the entire course series. The entire matriculation, administrative, and accreditation processes will be managed by the SMILE Foundation.

“This new partnership creates a powerful synergy,” explains SMILE Foundation President Sal Rodas, adding, “and it will accomplish the equally important task of ensuring that any dentist involved in Dental Sports Medicine has met the minimum requirements to perform their duties once assigned to a sports team.”

For detailed information on The SMILE Foundation, visit online at: www.appliancetherapy.com or call (800) 423-3270.

Filed Under: Archives, SMILE Foundation

2010 Orthopix AD PDF

Looking for an alternative to the plaster study models to document your cases?   ORTHOpix provides you with an ultra accurate high-resolution digital study model, clearing up valuable storage space.  Unique about their service is that current impressions or working models can be scanned to convert them to digital form–and going digital doesn’t mean expensive: the viewing software is provided free of charge, with no set-up fees or startup costs!  In addition, Space Maintainer laboratories can also create a set of plaster study models or an appliance from the digital information.   All digitized models are securely stored and backed up on private servers, assuring rapid retrieval whenever you need them.

Highlights:

Affordable - $24.95 per set
Accurate - High-resolution digital study models
Viewer Software - Free of charge!
Eliminate Clutter - Save valuable office storage space
Secure & Easy Access - Quickly and securely access your files from any computer
Reassurance - Comfort in knowing that all files will be duplicated on private servers
Flexible Options - Even stone models or impressions are accepted
Plaster Models Still Available - Plaster study-model fabrication of digital information is also available through the service.

For More Information:
888-777-1945
www.ORTHOPIX.com
Second Opinion, a division of the Appliance Therapy Group.

Filed Under: Archives, Second Opinion