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Why We Use AcceleDent®, i-CAT™, iTero®, Invisalign® and SureSmile® at Innovative Orthodontic Centers

By July 13, 2018December 15th, 2023No Comments

technology-acceledent-i-cate-itero-invisalign-suresmileImagine going to your orthodontist to begin treatment and having iPads to play with and a charging station for your cell phone, as well as a movie theater and arcade game room for the kids. When it’s time to have your bite evaluated, the orthodontic team doesn’t ask you to sink your teeth into goopy molds and there’s no waiting for x-rays to be developed. Instead, they take a digital scan of your teeth and create a smile simulation that shows you what your smile will look at the beginning and end of treatment before you even start. In fact, they email you the smile simulation so you can view your future results at home too. What if, in addition to your customized braces, SureSmile wires or Invisalign aligners, they also offered you a small, take-home appliance that could make all your tooth movements more comfortable AND cut your treatment time in half?

This is reality at Innovative Orthodontic Centers! Our Naperville and Shorewood orthodontists are all about a controlled, technology-driven approach that allows us to be the leaders in comfortable, accelerated orthodontics. Dr. Ibrahim and Dr. Gin and the team use the latest advances in orthodontics, so you can say hello to your straight, gorgeous smile quickly and without interrupting your day-to-day life. Here are some of the high-tech systems and treatments we offer:

New Smiles Up to 50% Faster With AcceleDent

We’re not just the leading Naperville and Shorewood AcceleDent provider, Dr. Ibrahim was recently recognized as the #1 AcceleDent provider in the world! That’s right; we use the magical little device more than any other orthodontic practice across the globe to reduce our patients’ treatment time by up to 50%. The small medical device can be combined with braces or Invisalign. You rest your teeth on the mouthpiece and the accessory generates micro-pulses, which are gentle vibrations that painlessly kick bone remodeling into high gear to make tooth movement up to twice as fast and much more comfortable.

Why AcceleDent?
  • By using AcceleDent Optima™ for just 20 minutes per day, you can finish your treatment in nearly half the time.
  • The device is portable and hands-free, so you can check your email or scroll through your Instagram during a session and easily bring it with you when you’re on the go.
  • It’s gentle and gives you a nice little gum massage, while also reducing discomfort during braces or Invisalign treatment.
  • It enhances the predictability of our clinical outcomes, ensuring your smile looks just like we promised when your treatment is complete.
  • It gives Dr. Ibrahim and Dr. Gin more control over your tooth movements, allowing them to address complex cases that would normally need extractions or surgery with braces or Invisalign alone. To see some real life examples, check out Dr. Ibrahim’s “Tooth Twins” cases that were featured in an issue Orthodontic Products.

i-CAT: The Safest, Most Accurate Imaging System

With our i-CAT 3D imaging system, we can take digital, extra-oral x-rays to get three-dimensional images of patients’ teeth, jaws, nerve pathways and facial structures in seconds. It also exposes you to less radiation than you would get from standing in front of a microwave. The 3D radiographs supplies us with way more information than a 2D x-ray ever could. You simply sit down and i-CAT captures images that show up on our screen almost instantly.

Why i-CAT?
  • Appointments are shorter since there’s no film to be developed and we can see the scans within a few seconds.
  • i-CAT™ emits significantly less radiation than traditional x-rays for improved patient safety. Also, since we get so much visual information in a single scan and can do things like zoom and enhance the contrast, fewer exposures are required and we don’t have to do re-takes, further cutting the amount of radiation.
  • Your treatment will be more effective and your smile will look even more gorgeous. Images are crisp, accurate and detailed. We can see your tooth positions all the way down to the tooth roots, as well as all of your facial structures, letting us design your new smile from every angle.
  • Scanning is a breeze. There are no uncomfortable bitewings involved and you don’t have to sit still for a long time.
  • We can easily share these digital images with other providers to eliminate unnecessary re-exposure.

We’re an Impression-Free Office Thanks to iTero

Our Naperville and Shorewood orthodontic offices use iTero, so you no longer have to gag on putty and tray impressions. iTero is a digital scanner that takes images of your teeth and gums quickly and comfortably. A team member uses the compact wand, which gives off no radiation, to scan your mouth. The high-definition images are sent instantly to our screen and the software creates a computerized, 3D model of your mouth. Dr. Gin or Dr. Ibrahim plan out your tooth movements right on the digital model and the specifications are then used to make your customized Invisalign trays, SureSmile wires, retainers or other orthodontic appliances.

Why iTero?
  • It enhances accuracy and comfort. Anyone who’s had conventional impressions done knows they leave a lot to be desired. They aren’t always all that reliable and they definitely aren’t a pleasant experience. They’re a thing of the past with ITero!
  • The scanning process is super fast, so you spend less time in our chair.
  • The precision is unmatched and we can use the images to create a 3D model of your mouth for the most accurate treatment planning possible and appliances that fit perfectly.
  • We can show you exactly what we’re seeing, including a digital simulation of what your smile will look like when you finish treatment.

Under-the-Radar, Comfortable Treatment with Invisalign

Innovative Orthodontic Centers is a Diamond+ Invisalign® Provider and Dr. Ibrahim has been called a “trailblazer” by Align Technology, the maker of Invisalign. She’s also participated in pilot programs, advisory boards and clinical trials. So, if you’re looking for a practice with serious expertise in the treatment, we’ve got you covered. We can help you achieve your dream smile with Invisalign, Invisalign Teen or Invisalign® First in Naperville and Shorewood. It all starts when we use our iTero scanner to take digital impressions. Then, a 3D model of your mouth is created. Dr. Gin or Dr. Ibrahim develop your treatment plan on the computerized 3-D model. When they’re finished, they send off their prescription and clear, removable aligners are custom-made according to their specifications. You wear each set of aligners for about a week and as you make your way through the series, your teeth move a little bit at a time until you get a healthy, beautiful smile.

Innovative Orthodontic Centers is one of the few offices that treats all patients with Invisalign, regardless of how complex their case is. We’re also among the first practices in North America to offer Invisalign First, which is a system of clear aligners for young patients receiving Phase 1 orthodontic treatment. Now, patients of all ages can experience the benefit of this teeth-straightening solution.

Why Invisalign?
  • The treatment planning process is precise and Dr. Gin and Dr. Ibrahim have absolute control over when and where each tooth moves for exceptional results.
  • The clear, smooth, BPA-free plastic aligners are virtually invisible. Most people won’t notice you’re wearing them, making them a great esthetic option.
  • Since the aligners are removable, there are no food restrictions and you can brush and floss as normal, maintaining excellent hygiene.
  • With no brackets or wires in sight, wearing your aligners is comfy.

SureSmile Takes Braces to the Next Level

If you think braces are more your speed but you’re worried about bulky, gleaming brackets, discomfort and years in treatment, we have the answer. We offer self-ligating clear and metal braces combined with SureSmile in Naperville and Shorewood. You’ll get the straightening power of braces with the pinpoint accuracy of digital treatment planning and customized archwires. The best part? SureSmile has been shown in studies to decrease treatment time by 29% on average! After taking digital scans of your mouth, we’ll manipulate a 3D model of your mouth directly on our computer to design your perfect smile. Based on our treatment plan, customized archwires will be created for you using robotic wire-bending technology.

Why SureSmile?
  • Dr. Ibrahim and Dr. Gin plan out your treatment on 3D virtual simulations of your mouth to create a stunning, one-of-a-kind smile just for you that’s based on your facial features and anatomy.
  • The wire bending is accurate to within one-tenth of a millimeter, which can’t be matched with manual wire bending. The outcome will far surpass what you could get with traditional braces.
  • SureSmile wires exert gentle pressure for a more comfortable experience and results in less time.
  • The precision ensures there are fewer adjustments and appointments are faster.
  • The duration of your treatment can be decreased by nearly a third.
  • Reducing the number of office visits and the time you spend in braces saves you time and money.

AcceleDent, iTero, i-CAT, Invisalign and SureSmile are just a few examples of the technologies we use at Innovative Orthodontic Centers to give our patients fantastic results and an experience to match. We strongly believe in harnessing technology for fast, comfortable, accurate treatment because you shouldn’t have to choose between having a healthy smile and living your life. With the right tools, orthodontic treatment doesn’t have to require a huge sacrifice and the outcome can be beyond what you even imagined. Are you ready to start your high-tech smile journey? Book a free consultation at our Shorewood or Naperville orthodontic practice to get started!