Orthotown March 2016 - (Page 36)

retention // feature Modern-Day Retention by Daniel Grob, DDS, MS Editorial Director, Orthotown Magazine Dr. Daniel Grob graduated from Marquette University, where he received all of his dental, orthodontic and prosthodontic education. He was also honored with numerous awards, including the OKU honorary dental fraternity, as well as the ASN honorary Jesuit fraternity. Grob received the American Society of Dentistry for Children senior student award for his exemplary work with young patients. 36 MARCH 2016 // orthotown.com The forgotten topic If there is a topic in orthodontics that is chronically ignored and sometimes abused, I think most of us would agree, it is retention. In fact, if you try to track down all of the articles written on retention since the specialty's formation back in the early 1900s, it would only number a couple of hundred, while other aspects of orthodontics have been discussed nearly ad nauseam. But retention-should we be ignoring this important part of treatment like this? I know, nothing makes for a more frustrating day like several college students home for the holidays with lost or broken retainers and several rotated teeth, no responsible parents in sight, and a crowded waiting room. Some practice consultants advocate not seeing these patients ever again! Is that a way to build a practice dependent on new patients replacing the ones that are treated? I dare say not! It's no secret that once the bill has been paid, the teeth are straight and a patient gets retainers, there's not a lot more for an orthodontist to do. But as the model of orthodontic care continues to evolve, I propose that there will be the standalone practices where the orthodontist visits on a daily basis in an established practice and the corporate model, which addresses that population of patients in retention. And, frankly, those of us wishing to control the business may want to keep these patients coming back. Reason for ignoring the issue Ever since a classic article written in the '80s by Little and others, we have been aware of the fact that teeth do continue to move, no matter how they are treated. I always smirk when I hear speakers brag about their results and insinuate that because of their specific treatment approach, the teeth that they http://www.orthotown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown March 2016

Orthotown.com Highlights
Embrace Progress: Organizing the Digital Office
Wired for Success: Google Voice: The Future of Patient Communication
Welcome, Dr. Edmund Khoo, to the Orthotown Advisory Board!
Industry News
Simplifi ed Correction of Class II Using PowerScope
Looking Toward the Social Media Horizon
What’s On Your Tray? Tray for Bonding Brackets
Herbst Fixed Functional Treatment for a Severe Class II
I’ve Done a Tongue Guard … Now What?
Modern-Day Retention
Retainer Clasps
Message Board: Retention
New Products
Software Showcase
Product Profile: Burleson
Poll
How to Manage Overhead Percentages in the Practice
Ad Index

Orthotown March 2016