Suresmile: Your Scanning Appointment

Congratulations! Now that your braces are on, it’s time for your SureSmile scan!

Why a scan?
The scan builds a 3-D model of your teeth on the computer. Dr. Scanlan will analyze the model to diagnose your treatment and design your custom archwires.

What happens at this appointment?
First, we will apply a white coating, called SureWhite®, which contains some of the same ingredients as toothpaste, to your teeth. Once the SureWhite® has been applied, it is dried. It is important to keep the teeth dry; therefore, we will use cheek retractors just like at your bonding appointment.
Next, we will begin to scan (take a picture) each tooth with a 3-D camera called the OraScanner®. As the OraScanner’s mirror moves over each tooth, it flashes a harmless white light that reflects off the teeth. As it flashes, it captures the picture. As each tooth is scanned, you can watch the images build the 3-D model of your teeth.

What is a scan?
We will scan your upper teeth, lower teeth and your teeth when you are biting together. It is very important that we capture your bite correctly!
How do I get the SureWhite off my teeth?
Once the scan is complete, you simply brush your teeth to remove the SureWhite®.

What happens to the scan?
The scan will be sent to the SureSmile Digital Lab where individual tooth models are made. This is the 3-D model that Dr. Scanlan will use to design your custom archwires to insert at your next appointment!

Suresmile: A Few Friendly Reminders

Now that you know about Suresmile and have your braces, it is important to keep the following in mind.

Remember to avoid foods that could damage or break a bracket or wire.
Foods to avoid include the following:
Sticky or Chewy foods (Caramel, Gummies, Tootsie Rolls, Gum, Taffy, etc.)
Hard or Crunchy foods (Nuts, Hard candies, Chips, especially Doritos, Pretzels, Bagels, French bread, Pizza crust, Hard rolls, Corn on the cob, Popcorn, Whole apples or Carrots, etc.)

Keep your appointments to ensure that your treatment stays on schedule!

Wear your elastics, as Dr. Scanlan has instructed.

Oral hygiene is extremely important, especially with braces.
Daily brushing and flossing, along with visiting your dentist every six months will allow your orthodontic treatment to go more smoothly.

Keep up the good work and we look forward to seeing you at your next appointment!

Have you heard about SureSmile?

Did you know that Dr. Scanlan is the first and only orthodontist in Western North Carolina to implement SureSmile?
SureSmile is a treatment system that allows your teeth to move more directly and more accurately, which means less discomfort and a shorter treatment time!
SureSmile is Dr. Scanlan’s standard of care and the “average time with SureSmile is almost 40% faster than conventional braces”!

To learn more about SureSmile, visit http://www.suresmile.com/ and call us at 828-254-4602 to schedule your complementary consultation!

SureSmile®

Here is a nice video that gives some great information about SureSmile®!

Doctor Scanlan in the News

Here is how Dr. Scanlan is improving the standard of care for straightening your teeth

Mom and Dad........ Braces have changed

What are we looking for when we need braces?

When polled, the public wants results which are esthetics, quality driven, and cost effective. Esthetics and quality are something that Dr. Scanlan puts at the forefront of his treatment philosophy. Cost is equally important and Dr. Scanlan recognizes this. See Dr. Scanlan's previous blog which explains how this technology could actually costs your family less.

At TS Orthodontics, you or your child will experience and benefit from the latest orthodontic technology giving results which will leave you smiling.

How is Dr. Scanlan's treatment different?

You probably have a friend or family member who has had braces. Remember when they used to go in every month to get their braces "tightened"? What the orthodontist was actually doing was removing the wires and manually placing different bends in them to get the teeth to move in different directions. Sometimes the bends over-corrected; sometimes they under-corrected, and this is why treatment took so long. Conventional treatment actually moved teeth more than they needed to move, in directions that were not intended. Much of traditional treatment by the orthodontist was correcting side-effects caused by treatment itself!

Dr Scanlan uses a system called Suresmile that reduces the need for so many appointments and delivers a level of care to you or your child never seen before. With Suresmile, we will take a scan of your teeth a few months after getting your braces. A computer will build a 3-D model from this scan allowing Dr. Scanlan to analyze the movement your teeth need and apply those movements. This is only where the magic begins! Dr. Scanlan will also analyze movement that should be avoided and those movements can be minimized or completely prevented. Dr. Scanlan will decide where each tooth needs to be and give you the best smile possible and a healthy bite that lasts.

Your computer designed wire which Dr. Scanlan has created virtually in software is sent to a robot which bends customized wires for your teeth. These wires contain all the necessary bends to get your teeth from where they were when they were scanned to where they need to be for a beautiful smile. The precision of Suresmile helps move your teeth with accuracy. Since your teeth are not over-corrected or under corrected like traditional braces, you'll spend less time in braces..... almost 40% less time on average! Now is that standard of care? Dr. Scanlan says YES!

Over the next few weeks, Dr. Scanlan will be writing about the details of the orthodontic journey you will be on with his team of trained professionals giving you your smile with quality results in never before seen time.

Stay tuned as Dr. Scanlan writes about new approaches to treatment that address your concerns.