Orthotown July/August 2019 - 38

Diamond discs for IPR. Interproximal reduction has a range of indications,

and for many orthodontists who, like me, routinely prescribe clear aligners, it has
become an indispensable component of successful treatment. Looking back to
residency, most of us learned the IPR technique using hand-applied diamond
strips. Although this method is safe and quite effective when learning the
procedure, it can be time-consuming, especially when multiple contacts
must be adjusted. After experimenting with a variety of IPR methods, I found
diamond-coated rotary discs to be the best option for my purposes, offering me
a quick, painless and effective method for achieving the desired results.
I regularly perform IPR in my practice and use the Komet DISCtance IPR
system at least four or five times per day to correct tooth-size discrepancies,
eliminate crowding or lengthen contacts to eliminate black triangles. The discs
work with my slow-speed handpiece, and I can remove the required amount
of enamel precisely, rapidly and with no pain for the patient. These perforated
rotary discs offer the fastest, most precise option for my busy practice, where it
is imperative that I perform IPR quickly, consistently and safely. Keep in mind
that a safety guard is recommended to help protect the patient's lips and tongue,
and I find that it is best to align the teeth first before performing IPR.

Collaboration software. We've all heard the advice, "Work smarter, not harder."

As a business owner, success depends on working smarter, and collaboration
software is an ideal tool for doing just that. My office depends on the Slack
app, which combines email, text messaging and chat for communicating with
your team in a way that's better than traditional methods. It also includes file
storage and categorized conversations, creating channels for different types
of communication. In short, the program enables my team to communicate in
a highly efficient, productive and flexible manner.
Slack also integrates with G Suite, providing our team with secure and userfriendly email, cloud-based and collaborative word processing, and data storage.
We also have incorporated Teamline, a project management application that
seamlessly integrates with Slack. Essentially a reminders app, Teamline makes
it easy to assign tasks and set deadlines for team members and provides a clear
view of everything happening within the team. Best of all, it eliminates the need
to follow up with team members when tasks remain unfinished.

Digital marketing. When I started my practice from scratch, digital marketing

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was a major reason we were successful. It was invaluable in getting the word out,
and thanks to that success, we've opened two additional practices in just six
years. There are countless digital marketing options available, but I'd like to
highlight two I've found very useful in my practice.
First, I'm fortunate to have co-founded the digital agency Neon Canvas,
and one of the main benefits is that I was able to build the custom WordPress
website of my dreams. Because of this and other ongoing SEO strategies, my
practice, Saddle Creek Orthodontics, ranks at the top for a host of search terms

JULY/AUGUST 2019 // orthotown.com

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Orthotown July/August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown July/August 2019