Aligner Dental Academy underscores the crucial role of conducting a thorough case assessment and creating an effective treatment plan for Invisalign cases.
‘Failing to prepare is preparing to fail’ as wisely stated by Benjamin Franklin, holds particularly true in the field of dentistry.
In this article, we underscore the crucial role of conducting a thorough case assessment and creating an effective treatment plan using the comprehensive guide developed by the Aligner Dental Academy team.
Many adult patients visiting dental clinics present with a multitude of underlying issues that must be identified and addressed before commencing any aesthetic treatments.
Hence a case assessment emerges as an indispensable initial step in the Invisalign treatment process, making it imperative to conduct a thorough evaluation to ensure that the treatment aligns with the patient’s goals.
SAFE case assessment
To facilitate this, Aligner Dental Academy have introduced a replicable process through the SAFE Assessment, devised by Dr Raman Aulalkh. This guide divides the case assessment into four essential areas: aesthetics, function, biology, and structure.
Commencing with an aesthetic assessment during the extraoral examination, factors such as skeletal pattern, facial and dental midline, smile line, presence of lip catch, and buccal corridors are assessed.
Transitioning to the intraoral examination, focus shifts to orthodontic function. Molar and canine relationship, spacing/crowding, and conducting a comprehensive ortho assessment should all be considered.
Subsequently, the biology of the patient is then assessed, considering oral hygiene levels and soft tissue examination. Finally, an evaluation of the structure, noting the patient’s restorative status.
Accept, improve or correct?
Once the case assessment is complete, the Aligner Dental Academy Treatment Goals Guide aids in determining whether to accept, improve, or correct the previous assessed aspects.
Invisalign also offers tools to assess if the product aligns with these set treatment goals.
The Invisalign GO product incorporates a built-in case assessment feature within the prescription process. Upon completion, this feature highlights areas outside the predictable limits of the product in orange, while areas within the limits are displayed in green. This tool aids practitioners in ensuring that the treatment plan remains within achievable parameters of the product.
For the Invisalign Comprehensive product, there is a Tooth Movement Guide accessible via the Invisalign Doctor Site. This further aids in filtering the complexity of movements required for treatment goals.
This table is broken down into different orthodontic movements for which Aligner Dental Academy have created many resources to help dentists understand the biomechanics behind and therefore its applicability in their cases.
Conclusion
To summarise, whether you are embarking on your Invisalign journey or already immersed in it, prioritising a thorough case assessment from the outset is paramount.
As Yogi Berra aptly stated: ‘If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.’ Establishing treatment goals with the patient at the outset is critical, underscoring the importance of that initial case planning.
And at Aligner Dental Academy, we provide comprehensive guidance throughout all these stages. Our members have access to our forum for clinical guidance, with responses provided within 24-48 hours by our faculty of experienced orthodontists and dentists specialising in Invisalign. Additionally, we offer one-to-one consultation services with clinical mentors and a Treatment Planning Service for modifying ClinChecks to meet your set goals.
In addition, all such case assessment and treatment goals forms mentioned in this article are available for download to Aligner Dental Academy members, alongside a plethora of resources to enhance your Aligner knowledge.
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