Factors involved in successful aligner treatments

Clear aligner therapy is one of the most rapidly growing areas in dentistry due to patient popularity, aesthetic appeal, innovation and technology amongst many other reasons. Not surprisingly, there is widespread adoption by dentists, however the etiologies and complexities of identifying malocclusion and factors involved often lead to unachievable treatment goals, excess revisions, additional costs, extended treatment times, patient dissatisfaction and ultimately an unrewarding experience for the clinician. This course will discuss some of the more common factors that often add complexity and difficulty to the case.

Learning objectives:

1. Malocclusions may be exceedingly complex which often require additional education and knowledge to recognise the factors involved. The overall objective is to identify and discuss some of the more common factors that are often overlooked or realised too late.
2. Gain knowledge of the “guardrails” in aligner treatment to gain efficiency and success and avoid treatments that are prolonged and unsuccessful.
3. Learn how to implement approaches and systems that aid in the identification of complexities of malocclusions.
4. Understand how periodontal conditions, endodontic issues, CR-CO discrepancies, tooth size issues impact treatment planning and complexity.
5. Discuss aligner trimline as a key biomechanical consideration for treatment and understand when to utilize the high vs lower trimlines.