New treatment options and products are constantly being introduced into the orthodontic profession. Some of these represent a definite improvement over existing techniques. Others do not. Our philosophy at Haas Orthodontic Arts in Akron/Canton, Cuyahoga Falls, and Stow is to investigate these new options. If a new orthodontic technique represents an improvement over an existing technique, we will adopt it. If a new technique represents an inferior choice, we will not offer it.
Orthodontic Dental Implants
Recently, the use of dental implants or small titanium posts placed into the bone has been introduced to replace missing teeth. This is a truly revolutionary and exciting advancement in orthodontics and we have incorporated the use of dental implants into our practice, especially in our adult patients.
Temporary Anchorage Devices
Temporary anchorage devices or TADS are small stainless steel screws that are placed into the bone to allow us to move specific teeth in a controlled and predictable way. The use of TADS has expanded the orthodontic treatment options we are able to offer our patients.
Aligners
This recently introduced technique involves using multiple aligners that resemble clear plastic mouth guards. The technology to produce the aligners is costly and despite the appearance of being cutting edge, we believe the long-term results are questionable. Due to this concern and the fact that many other techniques are available that duplicate tooth movement in less time and at less cost, we have chosen to not incorporate these aligners into our practice.