Thanks to advancements in digital software and 3D printers, indirect bonding trays have emerged from a niche in orthodontics to a mainstay. The old way of vacuum-forming an impression tray, cutting it out and smoothing it is a lot less efficient and precise than the digital light processing (DLP) technology offered by today’s 3D printers.
Digital light processing (DLP) technology has been revolutionary not only for indirect bonding as a technique, but also for orthodontic labs in the business of helping orthodontists deliver results. For OrthoSelect, an orthodontics lab that specializes in the indirect bonding system, the DLP technology in the MoonRay 3D printer by Sprintray has been a game-changer, allowing them to make trays in a fraction of the time, at a fraction of the cost of previous printers.
Here are 3 ways MoonRay helps OrthoSelect stand out from competitor labs, helping orthodontists to create beautiful smiles:
1. Better Treatment ExperienceOrthoSelect’s proprietary product, DIBS (Digital Indirect Bonding System), enables dentists to treat and plan their patients for orthodontics and braces, founder Steven Gardner explains. Through DIBS, dentists can submit a case and the software helps them see where their patient’s teeth will move based on where the braces are placed. Once they have approval from the dentist, OrthoSelect uses SprintRay MoonRay 3D printers to print a tray that fits over the patient’s teeth and holds all the braces inside of it.
When dentists design a treatment plan with OrthoSelect, they can either print it with their MoonRay and ship it directly to the clinic, or simply send the files for the dentist to print with their in-office SprintRay 3D printer.
With MoonRay’s DLP technology, dentists are able to get the braces in a more precise position, reducing or even eliminating bracket repositioning. The more precise you can bond the braces to the teeth, the shorter amount of time the patient will have the braces.
2. Better Clinical Workflow
According to Gardner, with the traditional direct bonding process, a dentist would be chairside with their patient from 45 min to an hour, depending on their level of skill and the time it took them to glue the braces on each individual tooth. With the 3D-printed trays from MoonRay, orthodontists are able to glue or bond all the braces on the teeth at one time. With indirect bonding trays, the dentist is there for just 5 or 10 minutes, significantly reducing their workload. Assistants can also be trained to seat and bond brackets, freeing the dentist to work on other patients.
3. Cost Efficiency
The printers Gardner used in the past did the job, but they were more much more expensive and were covered in support material. Cleaning off the support material was a time-consuming process. Now, after he’s printed a part with MoonRay, the post-processing is quicker and less difficult thanks to the advanced technology. The printing itself is also quicker, enabling OrthoSelect to print 5 trays in 45 minutes.
Based on his own experience, Gardner finds that MoonRay’s software is easier to use than that of other 3D printer manufacturers. In terms of price point, he says, it’s difficult to beat what you can get with MoonRay.
Learn more about the advantages of 3D printing trays with MoonRay in the video below.