Innovative changes that take place in the Unident chain of dental clinics under the management of Igor Gavasheli allow to solve the problems of patients at the most advanced level and using the latest technology..
One of the important events in this direction was the launch of the 3D dental center, and we talked about it with Nikolai Stanislavovich Tuturov, chief specialist of the clinic network in the field of Orthodontology, Candidate of Medicine, Head of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontology of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia
Open Systems
The first task of the management of the new center was to equip it with specialized equipment. Given the fact that work began in February, we had to deal with serious problems in the supply of equipment and related materials, primarily resin. Certainly we found a way out, and four months later the equipment was already in place. Currently, the center has a scanner and three 3D printers.
“It is safe to say that our laboratory is unique,” claims Nikolai Tuturov.We have selected open 3D printing systems with the ability to use not only resins from the printer manufacturer, but also materials from other manufacturing companies with improved characteristics. This allows us to create a quality product — for dental flippers, occlusal bite splints, surgical stents and orthodontic models.
Open systems in today’s environment are the key to success. If the product is made in a closed system with resin from a company other than the manufacturer of the 3D printer, it is possible to get poor quality results, as additives and third-party components behave unpredictably. The operation of high-quality equipment in an open system, allowing the use of resins from other manufacturers, helps to solve problems with the highest precision. For this reason, the centre uses such systems and accepts both branded resins and domestically produced materials.
High-Level Specialists
It is now safe to say that the 3D dental center is staffed by experts of high professional status who are capable of carrying out every aspect of the process. The serious, detailed training of employees, which was successfully carried out during summer, included mastering and practicing certain skills and abilities: an algorithm for solving problems related to the creation of aligners was developed and the process of creating surgical guides was tested. This involves diverse, modern, innovative digital software that is complex and requires certain new competencies and patience.
Visualize This
The main factor in orthodontic treatment is the predictability of the final result, which can be seen even before all the procedures begin. It can be visualized with the help of innovative software that allows Unident to reach a whole new level. It enables us to provide our clients with VIP care at a reasonable price, since in-house production of aligners reduces financial costs and makes treatment affordable.
What are Aligners
Aligners are mouth guards for bite correction. They are made of transparent plastic from an individual cast model in a laboratory. The set includes several mouth guards, which must be changed in a certain sequence. Each of them slightly enhances the effect of the previous one.
— We create a virtual treatment plan based on aligners or braces. The patient sees how the teeth will be moved in a row and the final result of treatment, and understands the time needed to achieve it. Furthermore, we can adjust the treatment together with the patient and do what the patient wants: slightly raise or rotate the teeth, change the inclination. In other words, to perform not only aesthetic work, but also to harmonize the entire dental and maxillofacial system. “In this case, the possibility of medical errors is minimized, the doctor fully controls the process of modeling and manufacturing mouth guards,” says Nikolai Tuturov.
— I conduct regular special educational courses for our doctors in the field of new technologies. I have compiled the most advanced insights into dentistry, and orthodontics in particular. Igor Vakhtangovich made it possible to create a modern and innovative dental center and to develop Unident as a whole. Our expertise, with the support of our management, allows us to perform orthodontic treatment at a high level without recurrence, using additional diagnostic methods, in particular computed tomography, which can be helpful in evaluating bone volume. We can see in advance the negative processes that may arise during the treatment and tell the patient about them in order to adjust the treatment plan and change the situation.
The patient will not get confused with the virtual plan, the treatment record will always be available, and the patient will achieve a quality result, in a predictable manner, within a certain time frame and, very importantly, without any recurrence during and after orthodontic treatment.
Up to Date
The problem of dental and maxillofacial abnormality is topical, and it is found in about 90% of patients at the clinic. Such issues can be solved with the help of aligners – invisible braces. Aligners also help in preparing for orthognathic and maxillofacial surgery, a procedure designed to put one or both jaws in place to ensure their proper alignment and achieve a correct dental bite. Orthodontics is a cohesive, interdisciplinary branch of dentistry that goes hand in hand with surgical and orthopedic care.
Our competence and experience allow us to carry out orthodontic treatment at a high level through quality diagnostics. We can see in advance any negative processes that may arise during the treatment phase and adjust the treatment plan.
The first step in treatment is a consultation with an orthodontist. The doctor examines the teeth, assesses the dental bite and the anatomy of the patient’s mouth. If caries is found, the orthodontist recommends treating it with a general dentist. If everything is in order, a dental scan is performed – optical impressions are made, portrait and intraoral photographs are taken, and X-rays are performed. Afterwards, an individual treatment project is prepared using special software. 3D computer modeling allows the patient to see how the teeth will move and estimate the time it will take to treat them.
After the preparatory stages, aligners (transparent mouth guards) are made using digital technology that exert a slight but constant pressure on the teeth, contributing to their movement. They are individual for each patient, in the course of treatment about 30−40 such mouth guards are required.
Aligners are as effective as braces. Yet they have a number of advantages. They are made of a very thin, transparent material and follow the shape of the teeth, so you do not feel them in your mouth and they are not visible to others. They do not change the articulation. They are hypoallergenic, so the intolerance of the materials used is very rare.
Aligners are easily removed without professional help, so you do not have to avoid solid or viscous food, which should be excluded during treatment with braces. However, you should avoid staining beverages and food. It is easy to take care of the oral cavity and the mouth guards themselves, you only need to rinse them with water or a special solution.
Digital technology is also used in the 3D Center to create special mouth guards with holes for implants. These templates prevent inaccurate placement of the implant because the software allows you to find the ideal location, size, inclination and shape for the implant. The template has holes made for the implants and a metal guide. This is an important step: the postoperative recovery and healing of the implant depend on its placement. The template gives the doctor a reference point, especially if several implants need to be placed at once.
The More the Better!
“When I joined the company as the chief specialist, I faced a number of problems in orthodontics,” says Nikolai Stanislavovich, “The main method of solving problems was the use of braces, and such treatment took six to nine years.” We want to work faster and better, and we are not going to stop using braces, but the treatment will be on a different level. This is our next step to develop treatment with brace systems using a virtual treatment plan, special technology, a library of braces, and advanced software. The important thing is that we will have a controlled orthodontic treatment as a result.
The 3D center is not only about aligners and orthodontics, it is also a high-tech approach to implant positioning. In the future, we plan to introduce 3D printing technology for temporary dental crowns and much more. We are planning an innovative introduction of indirect brace placement technology, brace treatment using virtual planning, just like with aligners. The first step, the most difficult one, has been taken. The next step is to develop the 3D milling center: introduce technology and modern techniques to solve orthodontic issues relevant to the patients of the clinic network.
