Can Anyone Talk About Sure Smile Experience?

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#1 Post by **sunflower99** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:51 pm

Hi guys!

So I have about 6-8 months left but there are a few things that could be *perfect* and can probably only be guaranteed to be delivered on time if using Sure Smile. I had no idea this technology existed until my ortho mentioned it.

I guess my question is, does this really work and is it effective in the long run, too? Since I'm a total newbie with Sure Smile I was hoping someone who's been through this could give a lil testimonial =)

Any information would help!

Thanks!!!

#2 Post by **gsb126** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 2:10 pm

I'm set to get my SureSmile scan early next month. My ortho told me at the outset that I wouldn't get the scan until 4-5 months into treatment. I had lots of crowding, and I think he wanted to do some un-crowding before doing the scan.

I have no idea how much time it will shave off my original estimate of 16 months; the SureSmile site says an average of 40% for most cases.

#3 Post by **sunflower99** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:28 pm

Thanks for the info anyway =) I'm just trying to get a sense of people's satisfaction level with SureSmile... although my guess is that it's pretty great.

And to answer the first question, I decided that due to other complications (such as over crowding, etc.) to get SureSmile, if at all, later in the treatment.

Again, if anyone has other general thoughts on this technology that'd be great!

#4 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:37 pm

snowsara had suresmile and you can look up her my braces story.

#5 Post by **sunflower99** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:41 pm

Meryaten wrote:Ahh. Interesting. Learn something new every day Does he plan to rebond?

Anyway, swede and leftyme have both been SureSmile patients.

Actually she just rebonded and it's now my call as to whether or not I want to start with SureSmile.

I really don't need to do this for aesthetic reasons since my teeth are pretty much straight, but more for functional purposes since my bite in the back could use more help to get it so that my molars are absolutely fitted together (I miss my noddles).

I guess that brings up another question, (targeted to anyone who knows), does SureSmile work for functional purposes like closing a bite? I plan to discuss with my ortho in more detail, but just thought I'd get a patient's perspective while I'm at it.

#6 Post by **sunflower99** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:42 pm

Miss Smiley wrote:snowsara had suresmile and you can look up her my braces story.

Thanks!! I'll try a search

#7 Post by **sunflower99** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:53 pm

Meryaten wrote:SnowSara had, I think, a competing brand of OrthoCAD.

Here's the thing, sunflower - SureSmile (or other OrthoCAD systems) do not make for better results - either aesthetic or function - at least not as far as I know. In fact as best I recall, SnowSara's ortho still went in and fine-tuned things by hand at the very end despite using one of these systems.

Really?! That is interesting.... Ok, I guess I was a sucker for it and was believing that technology really did come through in the end. =/

Well, I will definitely continue to do my research... thanks for the info you provided Meryaten

#8 Post by **laurahalvey** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:32 pm

My orthodontist has the technology available (orthocad) however, informed me that even with the technology, it still requires a skilled practitioner to do the work.

I had the option, but chose not to, since I figured my orthodontist has been in practice long enough to know what he's doing. I believe in experience and skill versus technology.

I know others here have loved it, however this is just my $.02.

#9 Post by **leftyme** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 9:14 pm

Meryaten wrote:Anyway, swede and leftyme have both been SureSmile patients.

Wow you have a great memory!

Actually though my Ortho offers SureSmile, is quite "into" SureSmile, but I chose not to go with it.

For one it was a lot more expensive than without. Secondly, it's such a new technology that it made me apprehensive not knowing what the long term effects would be. My Ortho predicted that it could shave off 10 months of treatment, that just seems like teeth would be moving SO much faster. I question how healthy that is.

That said, I still went with the Ortho who offers SureSmile (just without the SureSmile.) I like that he's staying current with new technology but I just don't want to be the guinea pig.

BTW I was told that I could still decide to do SureSmile up to six months into treatment. I didn't ask if I would need to be rebonded.

#10 Post by **leftyme** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 9:48 pm

Meryaten wrote:Sorry for mis-representing you!

Don't sweat it! I'm impressed you remembered I have even mentioned it at all!

#11 Post by **NYG2007** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:01 am

I wasn't given a choice. My orthodontist uses OrthoCAD. He just started using it last month.

#12 Post by **sunflower99** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:18 pm

NYG2007 wrote:I wasn't given a choice. My orthodontist uses OrthoCAD. He just started using it last month.

How has your experience been? I guess it's too early to tell whether or not you are satisfied with it

#13 Post by **NYG2007** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:38 pm

I have 12 days to go until I'm braced, but the mold process is odd.

#14 Post by **SnowSara** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:26 am

Hola! OrthoCAD patient here. It doesn't make me an expert on such things, but I can give you my experience:

My ortho didn't give me the choice, he uses OrthoCAD on all his patients and has been doing so since it became available I believe. Any system like this must be used by a skilled orthodontist. It's not like the scans are sent in to the lab and he just gets the brackets back in a tray. No, the ortho himself was the one that used the program provided by OrthoCAD to "straighten" my teeth ahead of time on his computer. I asked to see my file and was treated to a little animation of my teeth (I couldn't even believe they were mine at the time, but here they are!). The system helps him figure out where the brackets need to start in order to end up where he wants, and provides him a model to play around with before I'm even put in brackets. OrthoCAD treatment can include everything a "normal" treatment would: powerchains, tie-backs, elastics, wire bends, you name it. The computer doesn't take away any of the fine tuning of orthodontics, it just helps the ortho plan ahead and "see" into the future. He can be quite exact with his planning and a lot of the guesswork is removed. He knew where he would be putting the ending fine tuning wire bends before I even came in to get my braces on 12 months prior. Pretty amazing.

What this did for me was cut 6 months off my initial treatment time of 18mo. I was in and out of braces in a year. See the thread I started about it here:

viewtopic.php?t=18172

#15 Post by **NYG2007** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:19 am

If you go to the OrthoCAD site you can see a video on what they do. It is under the section for Orthodontist. It is quite intereseting. It does seem Sure Smile is a little more high tech than OrthoCAD. OrthoCAD is a service that scans the impressions from your mouth into a computer. The Orthodontist then goes online and approves the treatment plan and they make the necessary adjustments, etc. It is just an aid in treatment. My treatment that I will go through will involve OrthoCAD.

http://www.orthocad.com