A progressive and minimally invasive concept – Andrew Wallace BDS (QUB) MClinDent Prosthodontics (KCL) MFGDP (RCS Eng).
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 14th December 2018
In my opinion, the ABB (Align, Bleach and Bond) technique is the most important concept to come along in dentistry in the last decade. It is applicable to both cosmetic and functional dental treatments and is suitable for every dentist to provide in a variety of indications.
Minimally invasive
Execution of every step of the ABB technique is critical to attaining a result that can be favourably compared to more invasive cosmetic techniques. When performed correctly, it can prevent tooth wear from progressing to a level where more challenging and/or expensive dentistry is not required.
The UK very much leads the way in minimally invasive cosmetic techniques and, now more than ever, patients seek an improvement in their smiles and in their function without aggressive and invasive treatments. The ABB technique therefore offers a more attractive solution to patients, in turn resulting in high treatment acceptance and enhanced outcomes. In addition, it enables clinicians to practise the ethical and conservative dentistry they desire, while still taking into account long-term function as well as aesthetics.
Progressive
The ABB technique allows the patient to see how beautiful their own smile could look, in a manner that is progressive and conservative. As such, the patient can choose their own treatment endpoint, which may be far short of the textbook ideal but still delivers on what they want to achieve. This ensures they are in full control of the end result.
The progression of treatment involves simple anterior alignment using aligners or fixed appliances. The teeth are then whitened at or near the end of alignment to improve the colour using in-surgery or take home techniques. The next step is a simple chairside mock-up of the composite edge bonding that could be performed to complete treatment. This stage enables the patient to visualise how this will look and to choose how many teeth, if any, they would like edge bonding added to. In some cases, patients prefer to progress to ceramic restorations for their ideal aesthetic outcome, but come to this decision themselves knowing full well the alternatives.
The ABB concept also opens up elective treatment for dentists and patients who are not comfortable with ceramic smile makeovers. It is otherwise possible for both the cost and the inherent invasiveness of treatment in situations where the teeth are crowded or malpositioned to prove inhibitory.
Find out more
I believe it is important for every practitioner to have the skills to apply the ABB technique to the patient care they provide, especially when treating tooth wear. For anyone wanting to know more, I will be discussing the subject in more detail at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2019. My lecture – “The ABC of ABB; An overview of the Align, Bleach and Bond technique” – will be presented in the BACD Aesthetic & Digital Dentist Theatre, sponsored by Philips. As this event is the result of collaboration between CloserStill Media and the BDA, I think it brings together the two different audiences and makes the event even more important to the profession and trade partners, with a wider than ever range of speakers and topics. It is therefore a very worthwhile educational event for the whole dental team.
The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2019 will be held on Friday 17thand Saturday 18thMay at the Birmingham NEC, co-located with DTS.
For further details visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5270
or email dentistry@closerstillmedia.com
Author bio:
Andrew Wallace BDS (QUB) MClinDent Prosthodontics (KCL) MFGDP (RCS Eng).
Andrew is a general dentist with special interest in prosthodontics, orthodontics, aesthetic and restorative dentistry. He gained his Master of Clinical Dentistry (MClinDent) in Prosthodontics from King’s College London in 2015 and gained full Membership of the Faculty of General Dental Practice (MFGDP) for the Royal College of Surgeons England also in 2015.
Andrew is one of the partners in Bachelors Walk Dental and has been since 2004.
Andrew Lectures internationally on cosmetic dentistry, including cosmetic tooth alignment and tooth whitening, and is principal trainer for IAS Academy, the group responsible for accrediting professional dental providers of the Inman Aligner system and ClearSmile cosmetic orthodontic systems. Andrew was one of the first dentists in Ireland to use the Inman Aligner in 2008 and has been involved in the training side since 2011.
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