Megan Weisenberger, DMD, discusses implementing a new treatment method into her practice.
Q: Please provide an overview of your career in dentistry.
A: After graduating from Case Western in 2010, I returned to Cincinnati, initially as an associate, before acquiring my fee-for-service practice in 2017. It’s fully digitalized, including PrimeScan (Dentsply Sirona).
SureSmile Aligners deliver predictable results and happy patients.
Q: When and why did you begin working with SureSmile Clear Aligners (Dentsply Sirona)?
A: I began using SureSmile Aligners in 2020 due to increasing malocclusion and restorative cases. I trusted Dentsply Sirona and colleagues’ positive experiences with SureSmile, so I was confident moving into their clear aligner workflow. The knowledge they brought to the system gave me confidence.
Q: How do you identify/diagnose a patient malocclusion? What steps do you take to educate patients on the condition and its potential impact on oral health?
A: We co-diagnose with our patients using Primescan scans or photos. We review and discuss oral health impacts of crowding, teeth with fractures/recession, and airway and sleep apnea issues.
Q: What role does scanning patients play in helping you do this?
A: Scanning all patients, both new and established, aids in discussing what a patient may not like about his or her smile and facilitates a co-diagnosis.
Q: How are hygiene and prevention affected in your patients who use SureSmile Clear Aligners?
A: In my experience, both completed and in-process SureSmile patients are very invested in keeping their new smiles healthy, striving to keep on top of their oral hygiene, and benefiting from easier cleaning with straightened teeth.
SureSmile Aligners provide outstanding patient value with the Complete Case.
Q: How can SureSmile Clear Aligners provide a better experience for both dentists and patients?
A: In my experience, SureSmile offers predictable treatment with fewer refinements and attachments. In addition, straight-trim line aligners allow for fewer attachments, which patients appreciate, and more predictable movements, which lead to less refinements. Being able to predict treatment outcomes more precisely allowed me to become more confident offering ortho in my practice.
Q: How have SureSmile Clear Aligners impacted the predictability of your patients’ treatment outcomes?
A: My continuing experience with SureSmile enhances the predictability of treatment outcomes. Even when I started with more straightforward relapse cases, I found that the amount of time predicted was close to the actual treatment time.
Q: Do you believe the trim lines and treatment planning approach of SureSmile Clear Aligners result in fewer attachments and refinements? Why is that, and how does that benefit your patients and practice?
A: In my opinion, straight trim lines reduce attachments that may stain or irritate and also may require fewer refinements. I believe predictable outcomes of SureSmile are due to their treatment planning approach, combining synergistic movements and separating out antagonist movements during treatment planning that allow for more predictable movements and can decrease treatment time.
Q: How does the open platform integration of SureSmile Clear Aligners make it easy for dentists to switch from another aligner brand regardless of the type of intraoral scanner in their practices?
A: SureSmile is a completely open platform—if you can export an STL, you can be a Sure-Smile provider, regardless of intraoral scanner. This amazing digital workflow is open to everyone.
Q: How does the SureSmile Complete Case enhance the value for patients seeking orthodontic treatments?
A: The Complete Case includes 3 years of unlimited refinements plus the SureSmile VPro High-Frequency Device, which may provide added comfort and accelerate anterior teeth movement. Also, the patient receives SureSmile whitening near case completion. In my experience, this enhances patient value and compliance.
Q: How has using the online education offerings on SureSmileU and DS Academy enhanced your professional development and patient care?
A: They are both so valuable. SureSmile U and DS Academy provide valuable education for professional development from basic to more advanced content.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with Dentistry Today readers?
A: Switching to SureSmile, for me, has been transformative, offering significant ROI and a supportive community.
For more information, visit Dentsply Sirona’s website at dentsplysirona/suresmile.
