By Digital Smile Design
⋅ min read
⋅ 28 Feb 2020
What if we told you there was a way to present dental treatments you’re already offering to patients in a new way that will skyrocket case acceptance and your profit? No dentist ever feels comfortable doing the ‘heavy sell’ for esthetic treatments. So let’s keep it Lite…
Lite Dentistry is an easy, quick and cost-effective restorative esthetic solution that practitioners can implement speedily and efficiently into their daily practice. Simply put, it brings together two straightforward procedures, Invisalign® treatment and direct composite bonding, and markets them in one potent package.
Do patients want it?
“In my experience, nearly a third of all esthetic cases require the combination of moving teeth and restoration work to create a beautiful smile,” explains Christian Coachman, DSD Founder and CEO. “So, when you have a patient that you believe needs tooth movement, it’s likely that they need restorative work as well and vice versa.”
Christian believes that by packaging the ‘easy movement’ and ‘easy restoration’ procedures together in this way, dentists are able to sell the treatments as one whole solution. “Lite Dentistry means reaching out to people that aren’t investing in their smile because they believe restorative dentistry is expensive, painful, complex and time-consuming. Not only will your patients love the outcome of this highly predictable solution, but it will be easier to market the procedures and show the value of making a financial investment in their smile.”
Why do dentists need Lite Dentistry?
Of all the reasons why you need Lite Dentistry in your dental practice, it’s the technology harnessed by the precise procedures and the marketing effect of Lite Dentistry’s solution that are the two most powerful and compelling. But what’s so special about the technology used in Lite Dentistry?
1. Unparalleled technology
Key to the success of Lite Dentistry is the use of the Invisalign® world-leading aligner treatment system. Lite Dentistry uses Invisalign Go as its preferred straightening method, as the whole process takes up to only 20 weeks.
Planning, ordering and delivering Invisalign Go is very simple. This is great news for both time-pressed patients and dentists, as the whole treatment process is quick and easy from start to finish. As a practitioner, this means you’re able to offer a more cost-efficient, time-efficient, comfortable esthetic restorative service that benefits your patient’s bank account and your own.
The use of Artificial Intelligence in Invisalign Go is also at the heart of Lite Dentistry’s success, as the AI involved in producing Invisalign® smiles means straight teeth produced in the most precise way. This gives practitioners the confidence that they will deliver on what they promise and the outcome is always predictable.
2. Ease and precision of DSD Direct
DSD Direct is the direct composite element of the Lite Dentistry process. Unlike other composite bonding solutions, DSD Direct allows dentists to create natural-looking teeth, using the core principles of natural smile design but with minimal effort.
DSD Direct requires no sophisticated skills from dentists, as the injectable composite is applied through a mould, ensuring maximum patient comfort and guided precision for the practitioner. In the planning phase the smile is digitally designed using facially-driven, 3D technology which achieves a more natural-looking end result in harmony with facial proportions and features.
“With Lite Dentistry you can move and restore teeth in a single case with exceptional accuracy from the initial digital 3D simulation to the final outcome. Patients trust in the process due to the predictable outcome and receive are habilitated smile in as little chairside time as possible,” Christian explains
3. A marketing machine
For Christian, one of the greatest things about Lite Dentistry is its marketing power. Lite Dentistry is simply a way for practitioners to combine Invisalign® and composite bonding together into an easy-to-understand and attractive storyline. “While many patients may come to you requesting only teeth straightening or restorative esthetic procedures, now your patients will want to invest in two procedures at once to achieve the best looking smile,” he says.
But what are the real selling points and motivating factors of Lite Dentistry for your patients?
Patients think esthetic dentistry is | Lite Dentistry is |
Expensive | Affordable |
Time-consuming | Quick |
Complex | Simple |
Painful | Comfortable |
Many patients believe restorative esthetic treatments are painful and expensive. Lite Dentistry allows dentists to break down these barriers and present a comfortable and affordable solution reaching out to a much bigger percentage of the population. Unlike permanent veneers, the Lite Dentistry solution is well priced for a wider audience. It’s often preferred by younger patients who are looking for a more affordable or less invasive esthetic option.
The Lite Dentistry solution requires non-invasive procedures, which makes work easier and quicker for practitioners, therefore less expensive. “In certain cases, dentists may have to carry out crown lengthening procedures or gingivoplasty to achieve the desired look, but this is usually far less invasive when first moving the teeth properly with Invisalign GO. Although composite bonding typically lasts for only 3-5 years, it’s a great way for patients to test drive their new smile and they may be motivated to invest in a more permanent option in the future,” Christian continues
How Lite Dentistry uses the power of the smile design simulation
The smile simulation is a powerful tool that allows you to plan your Lite Dentistry treatments with technical accuracy. The benefits for Lite Dentistry include:
Case Identification - Before starting any treatment, the smile design tool helps you to identify which of your patients are successful candidates for Lite Dentistry
Patient Communication - Showing patients their end result smile is a significant motivating factor in case acceptance and patient satisfaction. Understanding the final outcome of treatments allows you to show patients how their look will transform and you are able to deliver on what you promised right from the get go.
Technical Planning - With greater technical and planning control, dentists like you are empowered to become better salespeople and motivate your patients to invest in treatments, with a higher case acceptance rate.
Would you like to learn more about Lite Dentistry? Don’t miss our blog post to find out everything that happened when Christian Coachman and Dr Karla Soto presented Lite Dentistry at the GNYDM in December 2019.
Or if you want to start implementing the techniques and seeing the benefits for you and your patients in your own clinic, book your place to join us on one of our upcoming Lite Dentistry courses!
This article was created in partnership with Align Technology