KLOwen founder Dr Brandon Owen on the clinical impact, workflow benefits, and evolution of the custom SL bracket.
KLOwen’s custom metal self-ligating (SL) bracket has earned Honorable Mention 2 years in a row at the AAO’s Ortho Innovator Awards—recognition that highlights its impact in private practice. In this interview, KLOwen founder Brandon Owen, DDS, MS, discusses how the bracket addresses key clinical and workflow challenges, what practices can expect during onboarding, and how early user feedback continues to shape the system’s development.
OP: What do you think made your bracket stand out to the judges, and how has the recognition impacted your team?
Brandon Owen, DDS, MS: I believe the judges recognized our commitment to solving real-world problems for orthodontists and pushing innovation in this industry to raise the standard of care for patients.
Unlike conventional solutions, our custom metal SL bracket is designed to deliver precision, predictability, and efficiency without compromising on quality or patient safety. Earning Honorable Mention 2 years in a row validates we’re on the right track—it’s not just innovation for innovation’s sake; it’s innovation with impact. For our team, it’s incredibly motivating and confirms that custom orthodontics is the future.
OP: What clinical or workflow challenges does your bracket address for private practice orthodontists?
Owen: Our custom solution is built to address the top three pain points we hear from orthodontists: inconsistent outcomes, unpredictable finishing, and inefficiencies in the bonding and repositioning process. By delivering a custom prescription for each tooth with a 19.5×26 slot built for 19×25 wires, we get closer to straight wire treatment than anyone ever has; we help eliminate wire bending, reduce the need for bracket repositioning, and streamline the finishing phase. This translates into fewer doctor-intensive appointments, fewer overall appointments, less time in the chair, and a more consistent path to great outcomes.
KLOwen prioritizes patient safety with strict quality control, following regulatory standards to ensure each bracket is perfectly matched to the patient. We spend more time on our setups than other IDB solutions, because it actually matters when you fill the slot. If you have 20 degrees of torque slop, perfecting the setup is less important since the teeth won’t actually end up where the digital plan has them positioned.
OP: How does using your custom bracket system affect treatment planning, chair time, and efficiency?
Owen: Doctors who adopt our custom solution often report immediate time savings—both in the clinic and during treatment planning. Our digital workflow is like aligners which is helpful to the team; however, they still need to be trained and learn our bonding process and software.
Even with the learning curve and the time it takes to review and approve our digital setups, doctors still report time-saving benefits in doctor hours when they compare it to the workflow they are used to with conventional bracket systems.And because every prescription is custom to the patient, bonding appointments are more efficient, and finishing stress is significantly reduced.
Many practices have told us they’re seeing fewer wire bends, fewer (if any) repositioning appointments, and more predictable finishes—resulting in a better experience for both the doctor and the patient.
OP: What should orthodontists expect when training and transitioning to your custom SL bracket?
Owen: We’ve designed our onboarding experience to be as smooth and supportive as possible. Most practices are up and running within 30 to 60 days. We provide in-office training, virtual study clubs, access to on-demand content in our KLOwen Academy, and ongoing support throughout the transition.
The biggest pearl pro tip we hear from doctors who have been using us for a while is that they wish they would have extended their appointment intervals sooner. We recommend 10 to 12 week appointment intervals which is hard for a lot of doctors to adopt as it goes against what we are taught in school. However, our custom prescription and tight slot tolerances need time to let the wire play out and actualize the prescription.
When doctors get comfortable and begin extending appointment intervals, and start to shorten other standard appointments, they begin to experience efficiency at an even higher level. Like anything new, there’s a learning curve—but our users consistently tell us it’s much easier and faster than they expected.
OP: What feedback have early adopters shared, and how has it shaped product refinements or future plans?
Owen: Early adopters have been instrumental in helping us refine the system. Their feedback has led us to develop and enhance our software, streamline workflows between us and them, and expand bracket options. The partnership with our users has been incredibly valuable, and their success is what drives our roadmap forward. OP
Photo: KLOwen
