There are many patients who present to our office wanting to straighten their front teeth without having to wear braces. Now we have a simple, cost effective alternative for those prospective patients. It is called the Red, White & Blue Aligner System from Allesee Orthodontic Appliances Company (AOA).
Made of clear, lightweight plastic, each retainer works to coax your patient’s teeth in small incremental movements, getting them progressively closer to the desired result. They’re comfortable for patients to wear and easy to talk with. Whether your patients are in school, on the go with a family, or a professional in the public eye, RWB aligners fit easily into their busy lives. RWB aligners are much simpler and less expensive than comparable treatment systems, so it offers an affordable option for patients who otherwise would probably never have treatment.
The RWB system is designed to treat minor rotations, torque, tip and spacing problems in the social six anteriors by using a series of three active appliances, each working to move the teeth to the desired result. Most patients wear each retainer for two to four weeks in the easy-to-remember sequence, transitioning from the red to the white to the blue appliances, with blue serving as the final appliance and retainer.
All that is needed is a good quality impression of maxillary and mandibular arches, preferably with the polyvinyl siloxane impression of your choice. The technicians pour up models from these impressions. The teeth you’ve selected will then be cut from this model and will be progressively corrected. After each correction, a lab technician will create a corresponding appliance for a total of three active appliances.
The RWB system is very easy to implement into any practice. There are no fees to get started or courses to attend. AOA has a great instructional manual on how to use the system. They also have a great informational packet stand with inserts for the operatory or front desk areas that explains the system and its advantages clearly to patients. Sample models of various orthodontic corrections are available for a small fee.
The technicians on staff are very effective in helping you identify if a patient is a good candidate for the RWB aligners. Also, they are a good choice when moving teeth before cosmetic makeovers or veneers in order to avoid over-prepping teeth. Having implemented this system into my practice about three years ago, I have found it to work very well, especially for adult orthodontic relapse cases or before cosmetic work is initiated.
Advantages:
- Little effort or cost to get started
- Huge financial gains to the practice
- Great introduction to orthodontics for the general dentist
- Ability to correct misaligned teeth in a timely manner
Disadvantages:
- Can only correct minor rotations, crowding, or spacing
- It is totally dependent on patient compliance
- Corrections in models are simulated by a lab technician, not computer or CAD/CAM
- Can only be used for the anterior maxillary or mandibular six teeth
Getting Started
Step 1: Conduct the initial examination to determine if the patient is a candidate
Step 2: Make a quality impression using a polyvinyl siloxane impression material
Step 3: Select the anterior teeth you want corrected
Step 4: Mark the information on the prescription form
Step 5: Send the prescription and impression to the lab
Step 6: Receive the Red, White and Blue system
Step 7: Deliver trays and strip interproximally where indicated by lab
Figure 1: Red, White, and Blue system
Figure 2: Patient was displeased with spaces between upper teeth
Figure 3: RWB treatment closed the spaces
Figure 4: Patient complained of crowding of lower teeth
Figure 5: RWB treatment corrected alignment of teeth
Review Synopsis
Product
Red White and Blue Orthodontic Aligners
The Good
Ability to correct misaligned teeth in a timely manner.
The Bad
Can only correct minor rotations, crowding, or spacing.
The Bottom Line
Great introduction to orthodontics for the general dentist.