Alison Simpson, director and principal at Trinity Dental in Northampton, explains her digital workflow with Suresmile and Primescan.
I’ve been using a digital workflow since 2015 as for me, digital dentistry offers continual opportunities to improve outcomes, grow as a dentist and give patients the best experiences.
Suresmile Clear Aligners by Dentsply Sirona and the Primescan Intraoral scanner have been a key part of my digital dentistry journey. I was disillusioned with the other clear aligner systems I’d used.
But Suresmile has ignited a new interest in orthodontics, it’s given me the knowledge I craved, and I can provide orthodontic treatment to my patients now, rather than referring them out of the practice.
A perfected digital workflow
We have mastered an efficient digital workflow at Trinity thanks to Primescan and Suresmile. I take a CBCT scan and upload it to a shared drive, then it’s ready to pick up on my computer or iPad. The cloud-based system allows me to upload photographs too, so I then have everything I need to combine with my intraoral scan files to be able to work quickly and efficiently, putting everything together in one orthodontic treatment plan.
It’s so efficient that I can build this design time into each patient’s appointment, meaning that I can submit the prescription to SureSmile within 10 minutes of the patient leaving the surgery. Then the design proposal is back from Suresmile within around 36 hours.
As everything is streamlined, this adds to patient trust too. They can see how efficiently I’m working, and we never have to cancel a patient because we haven’t received something back from Suresmile in time.
Conservative, predictable treatment plans
Suresmile allows me to offer a simple, combined restorative and orthodontic treatment plan. This often results in a more conservative approach. For instance, rather than offering crowns, I can move teeth to a better position and then turn to more simple conservative treatment to perfect it with bonding.
I also find that I don’t need to make as many refinements with SureSmile, as the treatment design is more accurate and predictable. I have no issues with compliance, as my patients find the aligners comfortable and they love the clear Essix material which is so transparent it’s almost impossible to tell they’re wearing them. It’s lovely to see positive outcomes at the end of treatment as a result.
On those occasions when I do need to make a refinement, it’s a simple process to upload photos and a new prescription, and the new aligners come back promptly.
Improved communication
Communication is key in all dentistry, and this is where technology plays a crucial role. Primescan creates a photo-realistic 3D model of the patient’s teeth, and this enables us to explain everything so much more easily to the patient.
The SureSmile software gives me control and flexibility too. I use it to create a customised plan for my patients, which gives them an accurate representation of what is realistically possible to achieve.
Full support
Right from the outset, my SureSmile rep Libby was always there when I needed her via Whatsapp, on the phone or even FaceTime. No matter what the question, I felt comfortable asking her and this sort of all-encompassing support is so important when getting to grips with a new system.
The Suresmile peer-to-peer support is also outstanding, with courses, a mentoring scheme and ongoing training all available.
The great thing about Dentsply Sirona is that they are always innovating. They take on feedback from clinicians and they adapt their equipment and materials accordingly. When it comes to Suresmile, this approach has enabled me to combine my restorative and orthodontic workflows together to provide my patients with advanced, predictable and enjoyable dentistry.
To find out more about Dentsply Sirona’s Suresmile visit: www.dentsplysirona.com/suresmile
To read more about Primescan go to www.dentsplysirona.com
You can visit the online Dentsply Sirona Academy for a wide range of education resources, video tutorials, courses and CPD webinars at dentsplysirona.com/ukeducation