Orthotown April 2024 - 51
Is It Time for
a Realignment?
A practical guide to transitioning between clear aligner brands
BY DR. KEVIN BAHARVAND
I
f you had asked me five years ago, I would have
said Invisalign was the only reliable aligner
brand I was willing to use for my patients.
Ask me again now! For years, I resisted even
the idea of considering other aligner brands,
even though their success was supported by peer
reviews. The main reason was twofold:
* I assumed Align Technology's large dollar
spend on research and development had
made it unmatched in quality.
* The price difference between Align and
other brands was not motivating enough
to try the competitors. In other words, the
other companies didn't have the economy of
scale Align was benefiting from.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed many
things, among them massive investments from
doctor-led and do-it-yourself aligner brands into
public campaigns. This led to some real harmful
changes, including DIY orthodontic treatment
trends, but also alerted the public about alternative
clear aligner brands.
Switching aligner brands isn't just about
changing products-it's a transition that affects
patients, staff and the overall rhythm of your
practice. Here's a down-to-earth guide, drawing
from my own experiences and lessons learned,
on how to make this transition smoother.
Spotting the pain points
Start by identifying what's not working with
your current aligner brand. Maybe it's the hefty
lab bills eating into your profits or frustrating
restrictions caused by tier systems; it could be
the quality of plastic, turnaround time or any
other issue you may encounter.
For us, it was when I realized I was paying
Align more than I was paying myself in salaries.
We needed something with the same quality, but
more affordable. I knew the company had something
important to offer, which was the brand
name: Invisalign is to clear aligners what Tesla is
to electric cars. But while people used to associate
electric cars pretty much exclusively with the
name Tesla, that's not the case anymore.
Scouting the alternatives
It's like shopping for a product that essentially
constitutes more than 50% of your practice-
you need to try a few before finding the right
fit. Look beyond the big names and focus on
what really matters: affordability, effectiveness
and how well it meshes with your practice vibe.
I spent hours researching different brands,
weighing the pros and cons. We had unsuccessful
attempts and I quickly learned what I didn't
like about some new systems.
APRIL 2024 | 51 | ORTHOTOWN.COM
http://www.ORTHOTOWN.COM
Orthotown April 2024
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown April 2024
Orthotown April 2024 - Intro
Orthotown April 2024 - Cover1
Orthotown April 2024 - Cover2
Orthotown April 2024 - 1
Orthotown April 2024 - 2
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Orthotown April 2024 - Cover3
Orthotown April 2024 - Cover4
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