Bonus Episode: Annual Product Focus Special

Alison Werner 0:09
Hello and welcome to this bonus episode of the Orthodontic Products podcast. I’m your host, Alison Werner. With the release of our annual product focus issue, we’re taking a closer look at a few of the products offered by our advertisers. In this episode, we’ll take a look at brackets from Allure Orthodontics, TP Orthodontics and DynaFlex, the orthodontic buying club, Mari’s List, Ortho2 practice management software, an electric toothbrush from Proctor and Gamble Crest and Oral B that is designed for orthodontic patients. And a first in the orthodontic space, the Zeeno practice robot. Yes, your practice can have its own robot. So let’s get started with brackets, a product category at the heart of orthodontic treatment. I spoke to Josh Somogyi, Vice President of Allure Orthodontics, about the company’s flagship product, the Allure Mini Twin Brackets. I asked him about what differentiates this bracket system.

Josh Somogyi 0:59
Well, for the last eight years, they’ve offered consistent, reliable results, basically giving doctors option to break away from more expensive brackets. Seems a great quality competitively priced bracket, it’s really kind of easy overhead that they normally have to deal with, and

Alison Werner 1:13
when it comes to what orthodontists can expect with these brackets, Somogyi had this to say, so

Josh Somogyi 1:18
we didn’t reinvent the wheel. These are just great stainless steel, 17 four stainless steel, 80 gage mesh based brackets that do the job day in day out. And it’s kind of thing that a coc can use and know that they’re going to get those reliable results every time. And

Alison Werner 1:35
his number one tip for users when implementing the Allure Mini when brackets into their clinical workflow, just

Josh Somogyi 1:40
to use it. It’s a slam dunk. It’s a no brainer, like I said, it’s there’s a lot of talk. Obviously, technology is amazing, and there’s so many new things out there in regards to plastics and custom braces and things like that. Again, a lot of talk of the industry moving in a different direction. But at the end of the day, wires and brackets and doctors that move teeth will always kind of went out. Those brackets are there to help guide along and make it a really good one. So it’s like a no brainer. Just use it. I promise you’ll see why.

Alison Werner 2:17
Now let’s take a look at an esthetic bracket solution, specifically the InVu Aesthetic bracket system from TP Orthodontics. I had the chance to ask Sandra Hoefer, Vice President of Global Marketing at TP Orthodontics, about the need InVu addresses for both orthodontists and their patients. Our

Sandra Hoefer 2:32
InVu ceramic bracket system is really designed for patients and orthodontists. The main need that it meets is really the demand for esthetic treatment, and especially for those patients that the doctor doesn’t feel really is a great aligner candidate. So just a great product to give them a treatment option that’s more tried and true, kind of set it and forget it, taking it a step further, we’re also available in pre-coated For added efficiency, so which is another benefit to the practice. And also, we all have heard the inherent problems with a lot of the ceramics, in terms of difficult debonding, breakage, staining, there’s a lot of negativity around ceramic and at TP Orthodontics, we’ve spent years developing a bracket to address all of those issues, and we’ve come up with a bracket that really functions like a metal bracket, but looks beautiful and meets, like I said, the demand for esthetics, for patient

Alison Werner 3:39
and When it comes to how the InVu ceramic bracket system stands out on the market, Hoefer was quick to talk about how TP Orthodontics has worked to develop a system that addresses the de bonding issues that often make orthodontists wary of ceramic brackets. So

Sandra Hoefer 3:54
I would say the number one benefit and unique aspect of our bracket and all of our ceramic brackets is that we have a unique polymer base. And what happens with this base? It serves as an enamel protection, interface between the tooth surface and the ceramic material. So what happens when the doctor goes to debond the bracket? It comes off very easily, like a metal bracket with not a lot of cleanup, burring things like that. And so like I said, we’re the only company that offers that enamel protection interface in terms of a polymer base, and it’s our best feature, I believe, because it’s always about patient safety and satisfaction. And when

Alison Werner 4:38
it comes to her number one tip for implementing the InVu bracket system. Hoefer recommends clinicians Be sure to incorporate the esthetic wires to get the true esthetic look patients are looking for one

Sandra Hoefer 4:48
the number one tip I have would be to also incorporate the esthetic wires along with the treatment with the brackets. A lot of times we see patients that you know have esthetic brackets, but metal wires, it doesn’t really give 100% esthetic look, and our esthetic wires are only coated on the labial surface. So what that does for the doctor is gives a wire that feels function. Feel function, form, the size. Nothing changes from a standard archwire because the coding is only on the surface, and it does just make for a really good esthetic system. I might add that our esthetics to the bracket have also been published in peer reviewed journals and with the conclusion that they’re visually imperceptible. So it’s kind of cool for patients, especially since they don’t really show in photos, which is kind of an added benefit that we didn’t realize until we heard patients talking about that.

Alison Werner 5:45
Now if you’re looking for a passive, self ligating bracket system, I spoke to Mike Parlante, Director of Business Development at DynaFlex, about the Norris Metal Bracket System to learn about its unique feature. So

Mike Parlante 5:56
the Norris system is a nickel free cobalt chromium, passive, self ligating system, typically finishing with three wires, common size wires. It has an ultra precise Oh, two, oh by 026, archwire slot. It has a proprietary base, and it has the most technologically advanced door design, which is frankly bulletproof. So for doctors that love the workflow of passive self ligating, they love free sliding mechanics with light wires. They love transverse arch with but they’ve been looking for more predictable torque and rotational control. This addresses and solves that problem on the patient end. For patients that are looking for esthetics, they’re looking for broad, beautiful smiles, you know, and less patient visits to the orthodontic practice. This allows them to get to the most esthetic results very efficiently.

Alison Werner 7:10
Parlante then went on to explain how the Norris systems archwire slot is unique, and how it gives orthodontists the free sliding mechanics you love at the beginning of treatment and better torque and rotational control with the finishing wire. So

Mike Parlante 7:21
a little secret in the world of orthodontics and bracket manufacturing is that the archwire slot is larger than what is advertised. It’s not controversial. It’s well documented. There have been many journal articles that have shown and demonstrated that bracket slots that are intended to be zero to two are actually closer to zero to four. We have to keep in mind there’s that these are like really, really small dimensions that are as complex manufacturing process. So with injection molding metal, which is how brackets are made, what happens is that the metal minutely shrinks after it is produced. So to compensate for this, it’s been universally accepted that manufacturers will make the archwire slot intentionally larger so that the opposite problem doesn’t happen and it’s too small for the right wires to fit. But what happens here is that the wires that are used with those bracket systems that are supposed to express the prescription that is built into them are not fully engaging with the archwire slot. And this is exactly why it’s just been accepted that you get unpredictable movements. You have wire bending and repositioning occur, and it’s time. You know it’s it’s timely. What we have done is we have put a post manufacturing process in place with where it automatically ensures that it is really an 020 slot. So now they’re getting doctors are getting all of the free signing mechanics that they love in the beginning, but they’re picking up torque earlier on in that second wire, which is in 18×18, and they’re getting a lot more torque and rotational control with their finishing wire, which is a 19×25 which I may add, is like a very common wire that all orthodontist are very comfortable Finishing with. And now, if you combine that with the, you know, the the door, the proprietary base and all of that, you get no door failures. You get very few debonds, and you’re able to get really efficient results with a system. System that is well well designed. It’s just reliable.

Alison Werner 10:03
When asked what his number one tip for clinicians adopting the Norris bracket system, Parlante spoke about the user community.

Mike Parlante 10:10
You know, take advantage of the Norris community. You know, there is no magic appliance. The Norris system is a well thought out, well designed, great ROI. But you know, we firmly still believe in sound, solid, esthetic and clinical CE, continuing ed and we do in person. We routinely are doing in person courses with Dr Foster, Dr Norris and and others. And we also have a large network of orthodontists that offer support to newcomers using the system to help with bracket positioning, to help with closing space, and any other things that can help them get, you know, get the ball rolling. So, you know, great ROI on the product itself and the upfront cost however, you know, and using regardless of the appliance you’re using, leaning on the network of doctors, because there are just little things that orthodontists can do that will make huge impacts on the outcomes of cases and improve that ROI.

Alison Werner 11:18
Next up, we take a look at Mari’s List, the largest orthodontic exclusive buying or group in the US and Canada. Mari’s List uses collective buying power to negotiate exclusive discounts for its orthodontic members, and has a roster of 175 companies offering discounts. I spoke to Mary Sawtelle, founder of Mari’s List, to learn about the specific need Mari’s List addresses for orthodontic practices across North America.

Mari Sawtelle 11:41
Mari’s List is the largest orthodontist exclusive study club and buying group in North America. We have over 3000 offices, and we negotiate have huge buying power, pass all the savings to our members

Alison Werner 11:56
when it comes to what sets Mari’s List apart, Sawtelle spoke about the community they’ve been able to build.

Mari Sawtelle 12:02
Think what makes us stand out is we’ve been in business for 12 years, and our reputation in the industry where we provide excellent service products that are vetted by companies that are all authorized dealers and don’t allow any gray market, so doctors can rest assured, nothing they buy through a company that’s a vendor partner would ever put their practice or their license at risk. We are different as far as we are mostly member driven, and we grow because our doctors, that save tell their friends and we offer solutions, not only on savings, but products and services, and help doctors grow their practice with our group of over 3000 offices, the Mari’s List member forum consists of over over 1750 orthodontists where we all talk to each other every day, and we share valuable information for

Alison Werner 13:03
those thinking of joining, Sawtelle offers advice for making sure you get the return on investment for your membership.

Mari Sawtelle 13:09
I think that the number one tip I have is when a doctor first joins, is to spend time in our portal. We built an amazing portal where you can search all the companies and the products we offer coaching with our trainers that you can schedule. My team is amazing. We have over 200 years of orthodontic knowledge, and we won the best orthodontic service award last year at the AAO. So we are very good at what we do. I’m very, very proud of my team and what we have built, and our doctors will tell you that the savings is many, many, many times more than the membership alone.

Alison Werner 13:48
Now turning to software, I talked to Jess Huennekens, regional manager at Ortho2. Ortho2 Edge Cloud delivers practice management, imaging and communication systems as part of its platform, while focusing in on patient interactions. Here’s what Huennekens had to say about the platform for

Jess Huennekens 14:03
Ortho2 we we sell practice management software. So that’s, as the name sort of suggests, is pretty straightforward. It manages your practice stores all of your patient data, so all of your patient images. Gives you a software platform to utilize things like payment processors and all of the treatment and everything else that goes along with practice management software. So it is mostly in house for for practices, but we do have features that are patient focused as well things like reminders and a portal, as well as other things that are being developed all the time. And when

Alison Werner 14:39
I asked him about what makes Ortho2 stand out in the market? Huennekens asked Ortho2 Edge Cloud users directly to tell him, and the answer was, people and experience. You

Jess Huennekens 14:47
know, one of I actually was at a meeting last weekend, and I was prepping for this, asked several different people, and one of the things that they focused on a lot for us was the fact that we. Have been family owned since 1982 we are we have a lot of longevity in the industry. We when you call support, chances are you’re going to get somebody who’s worked there for 10 years or more. So our the people side of our practice management software is very strong. So our customers really appreciate that. But then on top of that, we strive to be sort of a one stop shop. Have as much of the those things that you’re going to need for your practice management built right into one software. And so with all of the experience that we have of over 40 years of developing software and the human component, and just combining everything we we really do stand out against most of our competition. Now, when

Alison Werner 15:46
it comes to implementing a new practice management software into the orthodontic office, the process can be daunting. Huennekens offered a key tip to make sure your practice is prepared and the process can be as seamless as possible.

Jess Huennekens 15:57
You know it, it seems a little out there, but I always say, prep your staff. The software is going to do what the software does, and if the people in your office don’t want to do it, they’re just not going to. So we offer a lot of resources for customers that are starting from scratch and from, you know, maybe converting from another software we offer a lot of resources well ahead of your training dates to get your staff up and running, you just have to implement those. So we’ve done a lot of work over the years to help really get people ready for a transition in software turning

Alison Werner 16:36
to oral hygiene products. I spoke to Dr Stephanie Gans, senior scientist and professional and scientific relations at Procter and Gamble Crest and Oral B Professional about the company’s Crest and Oral B iO OrthoEssentials, Electric Toothbrush System and how it can improve patient outcomes during orthodontic treatment and free up chair time. So

Dr Stephanie Gans 16:54
up to 96% of patients have some sort of oral disease during treatment. And as we know, poor oral health can really impact the treatment, whether it be decay, white spot lesions, gingivitis. And what’s more is that it can have an effect on the practice as well, whether it be referrals or time spent in the chair. Research has shown that three or more poor oral health entries can extend treatment by a little over two months. So we definitely want to make sure that patients are staying on track. So with the Crest Oral B OrthoEssential system, it has all of the products together to help your patients get the best possible outcome. It includes the Oral BIO, so our greatest oscillation rotation, power brush, our Stannis fluoride paste, which has many benefits, including anti erosion, anti sensitivity, anti carries and can help prevent and treat gingivitis, as well as floss, a fluoridated rinse and our targeted clean brushhead, which is really the only type on the market that is a power brushhead that can get around all those hard to reach areas, so inside aligners, around, brackets, wires, etc. So really, a one stop shop for everything you need to help your patients take care of your teeth during orthodontic treatment. To

Alison Werner 18:10
really understand how this electric toothbrush stands out in the market, I asked Dr Gans to explain the technology behind the toothbrush. Yeah,

Dr Stephanie Gans 18:16
so the Oral Bio has what’s known as oscillation rotation technology, so it does not spin. You can think of it like a washing machine or a hula dancer. It goes so many degrees clockwise and then so many degrees counterclockwise. And the benefit of that is that when the bristles change direction, it produces the force that can really effectively remove the plaque biofilm. So the oscillations are helping you to get the best possible clean, as well as the small round brush head heart or the small round brush head adapts to those hard to reach areas, those embrasure spaces for the best possible clean. And actually, there was a recent meta analysis, a meta analysis published that showed that compared to different types of brushes, including older models of oscillation, rotation, Sonic and manual, 88% of IO users transitioned to a state of health, which was the most out of any other category. And

Alison Werner 19:11
when it comes to how to have the Crest and Oral B iO OrthoEssentials Electric Toothbrush really have an impact on patient treatment, Dr Gans was quick to encourage orthodontists to make specific product recommendation recommendations to patients who are often overwhelmed when standing in the oral hygiene section of their pharmacy they trust you to be the expert. I

Dr Stephanie Gans 19:29
think my number one advice would be, if possible, include it in the treatment plan. And if that is not an opportunity, I would be very prescriptive with how I give a recommendation to my patient. Research has shown that it’s very important to have a very specific recommendation. There’s lots of different power brushes on the market, and without a very specific branded recommendation, patients will go to the store and they’ll get overwhelmed and they won’t buy anything. So you can think of it like. If you are going to buy a hair product, say your hair was frizzy, and the hair stylist said, just go get anything that says anti-frizz, you’d be overwhelmed, and perhaps you wouldn’t even get anything. But if they said, go get this specific product, and if it really helped to solve your problem, it would instill a sense of trust and royalty, or loyalty, not royalty, it will instill a sense of trust and loyalty with that person. And it’s the same thing with our toothbrushes, our patients. We’re the experts to them, so they need to understand what’s the best for them, what they should get, and if possible, for the best way to get patients to follow up on your recommendation, if you can carry the products in the office, that’s even better. Now

Alison Werner 20:39
we turn to a newer product category in the orthodontist, orthodontic space—robotics. Did you know that you could have your own practice robot? Well, that’s what Zenno Robotics is offering with Zenno, I spoke with Todd Blankenbechler, the company CEO, to find out exactly what Zenno can do for your orthodontic practice. Zenno

Todd Blankenbechler 20:56
Robotics is the first robotic office solution for practices and really our mission is to bring robotics to the orthodontic space, really to make practices more efficient, kind of forward thinking and modern. You know, some of the features that Zenno supports is it escorts patients to chairs, fetches and carries items around the office, supports a come here and go to function, so you could say, Come here Zenno and have it play a video, and it includes Stella. And Stella is a custom AI chat bot so patients can interact with Zenno.

Alison Werner 21:41
Blankenbechler then spoke about what makes Zenno unique and how it can be a practice differentiator. I

Todd Blankenbechler 21:46
think what is unique about Zenno is, since we’re the first office automation robot in the market, there’s really no one else doing this. So that’s unique in itself, but really at the practice, what’s unique is for patients that come in and see Zenno, they’re going to see that the practice is investing in visible technology, or technology that the patients can see, and so they that it, it really projects a perception that the practice is current and modern, and the patient experience is going to be cool, and going to the doctor with a robot, and you know, sort of all that perception of the practice is current and modern is what’s unique about Zenno, along with the real benefits of saving time, escorting patients to chairs, playing videos, allowing the staff to interact more with the patient. That’s what’s unique about Zenno, and

Alison Werner 22:50
if you’re thinking of bringing Zenno into your practice, Blankenbechler has a few tips to really maximize your return on investment. So

Todd Blankenbechler 22:57
the very first tip for implementing Zenno is you can buy a robot for your practice today. So step one is understanding you can buy a robot, and step two is to really implement the robot into your daily workflow. So work with the staff to have Zenno escort patients to the chair, or use Zenno to come over and play an education video while the patient is in the chair. Or bring Zenno over and have the patient interact with Stella. So it’s really decide or understanding that you can buy a robot. Tip number one, tip number two is to implement the robot into the practice day to day.

Alison Werner 23:45
Well, that will wrap up this episode. Be sure to check out our annual product focus issue at orthodonticproductsonline.com. The digital issue is now available and features products ranging from aligners and wires to software and patient products. And thanks for listening to the Orthodontic Products podcast, be sure to check out orthodonticproductsonline.com. To keep up with the latest industry news until next time, take care.