Modern Dentistry: Leveraging Digital Tools for Clear Aligner Therapy

Course Overview

Adults have increasingly sought and accepted orthodontic treatment over the last decade. Key drivers in the desire and acceptance of orthodontic care include esthetics and social-related domains of oral health-related quality of life. In addition, adults have found orthodontic treatment more acceptable due to the esthetic acceptability of clear aligners. Treatment with clear aligners, together with a digital workflow, has created a paradigm shift for orthodontic treatment, and a wide range of treatment of varying complexity can now be performed using these devices. With treatment simulation tools and powerful software, it is now possible to demonstrate and have a patient visualize a simple before/after of what an idealized treatment simulation would look like within a few minutes of capturing a full-arch scan. Digital technology delivers the ability to improve patient education and motivation for informed case acceptance. Learning Objectives: The overall goal of this course is to provide information on clear aligner therapy, patient education, and case acceptance. After completing this course, the reader should be able to: Describe trends for orthodontic treatment Review the benefits of orthodontic treatment from the perspectives of patients Describe the role of digital technology in orthodontics for patient education and case acceptance List methods by which clear aligners can be fabricated. This course is presented as an interactive learning module. AGD PACE Subject Code: 370 - Orthodontics Original Release Date:4/10/2020; Re-Release Date:02/10/2023; Re-Evaluation Date:02/09/2026