With Paul R. Duryea, DDS, MS

Paul R. Duryea, DDS, MS, of Gold’n Braces Inc, is the originator of the first 24K gold bracket—the Midas© system. Duryea has practiced in Palm Harbor, Fla, since 1983, specializing in orthodontics and surgical orthodontics. Duryea earned his B.Ed at the University of Miami (Florida) and his DDS and MS in Orthodontics at the University of Detroit (Michigan), where he graduated as Valedictorian. Duryea currently serves on the Oral Surgery Teams at Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater, Fla, and University Community Hospital in Tampa, Fla.

OP: What makes your 24K gold-plated retainer wires unique?

Duryea: Our products have all the same properties as their nonplated counterparts but differ in their aesthetic qualities and possible long-term effects in the human body.

OP: Why is there currently a resurgence of interest in your gold brackets and archwire?

Duryea: I am hearing from orthodontists that it gets both costly and frustrating to try and keep up with the newer, ever-changing brackets of late (such as self-ligating). There have been many wonderful and innovative changes in brackets, but it is difficult to try them all while maintaining some consistency in bracket inventory. This is where the standard Twin bracket seems to creep back as a mainstream inventory item. Those who have enjoyed this bracket in gold are building it back into their practice.

OP: How do you go about selling 24K gold products during a down economy?

Duryea: Our 24 Karat Gold Brackets usually cost less than the newer brackets on the market today. Gold has never been offered as a luxury item, but rather a substitute for stainless that is more aesthetic as it blends better with skin tone. It is also a good adjunct to clear or ceramic brackets that can be placed on the upper arch, while the gold is used on the lower.

OP: What do you think is the next “big thing” in orthodontic technology?

Duryea: If you are talking about bracket design and wire technology, the use of more exotic metals with their inherent and unique properties that could allow more consistent and rapid tooth movement is always on the mind of the practitioner. The use of removable “retainer”-type appliances in themselves, without some type of fixed appliance adjunct to aid in their shortcomings, piques all of our interest. However, our belief is that fixed appliances and their inherent control of 3D orthodontic movement will not vanish in the near future.

OP: Does your company have any new products in the pipeline to be introduced in the near future?

Duryea: We are exploring the possibility of offering a gold-plated self-ligating bracket. Due to many changes in self-ligating bracket design, we are waiting for a consensus of what the doctors want—not just bringing a product out with potential flaws. If self-ligating brackets become the bracket of choice, Gold’n Braces Inc will be on the forefront in offering a gold alternative. We have plated many differently designed brackets with excellent and long-lasting results. That is the beauty of our gold plating—it does not alter the properties of the underlying bracket, nor does it prevent the movement of the “door ligation” system for doctors who desire to use this technology.

OP: Why are the 24K gold-plated retainer wires your “hottest” item?

Duryea: Our 24K gold-plated retainer wires address the increasing concerns with biocompatibility when it comes to long-term use of stainless steel in the body. Additionally, our gold-plated retainer wire crosses all techniques and treatment philosophies.

OP: Considering the down economy, is your business offering any discount or incentive plans?

Duryea: We do offer up to a 10% discount for quantity orders. (Our “quantity” discounts start for as little as five packs of wire.) Our wires are all packaged five wires per pack to help with inventory control and to prevent tying up practice expenditures in inventory that sits on the shelf.