Orthodontists asked, and LightForce listened

New invention eases emergency appointments

”Rebonding using the IDB tray was very easy, very fast. We knew what bracket was off; we had the tooth prepared; we had the bracket prepared; the patient sat down; we cleaned the tooth and bonded it. It took maybe 5 minutes. With the LightForce new Rebond LightTrays, emergency rebondings have gotten a lot faster and less stressful.” — Just take it from Dr. Ella Osborn of Seaport Smiles.

From the perspective of someone operating a fully digital practice, a broken appliance had previously been a headache. A rebond with a stock bracket can take up to 20 minutes for each missing piece. “When I see an emergency on the schedule, my stomach turns a bit because I know my day is not going to be as smooth as it could have been.” However, the new rebonding trays have decreased Dr. Osborn’s emergency appointment time by 75%.

In the past, some orthodontists came up with a creative solution for rebonding broken brackets — cut the IDB trays into individual tooth segments. While innovative, this solution is imperfect as there is no designated place to cut the IDB trays. Without the context of the other segments of the IDB tray, there can still be inaccuracies in bracket placement. The Rebond LightTrays were invented based on the feedback and innovation of these orthodontists and the desire to maintain precision when rebonding brackets if they do break.

Kelsey Fafara, the director of hardware engineering at LightForce, said, “We knew from day one that we were going to need to make trays specifically for rebonding. The feedback from our orthodontic partners amplified that knowledge and helped us prioritize this project in the hardware department. The nice thing about having this project planned for so long is that we had the ability to integrate it smoothly into our 3D-printing process.”

The new trays are printed specifically for rebonding, with segmented trays that make it easy to place brackets on each individual tooth that is missing its appliance. Just like the LightForce fully customized bracket, the rebond trays are manufactured to match each patient’s unique tooth morphology. The LightForce Rebond Tray has an occlusal shelf that makes it easy for orthodontists to apply pressure during bonding, and they can easily remove the tray from the patient’s mouth once the bonding is complete without any need for additional cleanup. In addition, the tray’s bridges are flexible but tough to break, so you can maneuver them as needed, but you don’t have to worry about accidentally snapping them during the rebonding process. Replacement parts will be shipped in a smaller box with the initial case to be kept in the office after bonding so that orthodontists will not have to wait for replacement brackets to be made.

Another important part of the rebonding process is the ease of delegation. Dr. Osborn spends only 30 seconds of the time that it takes to rebond with the new IDB trays. “With the extra time that I have, I am going to spend more time with my dog, who is often around the office with me.”

The Rebond LightTray is just one of the LightForce newest products — the company also recently launched the Light Bracket. This translucent bracket offers all the same benefits of the Cloud Bracket, but is a near-invisible option for patients who want a more discreet look.

Learn more about LightForce, Rebond LightTrays, and the Light Bracket at wineandlearns.com.

This information was provided by LightForce.