The New Treatments on the Block - interview with Dr Tif Qureshi

In such a fast-paced modern world, change and evolution are inevitable. The dental industry is a prime example of this, with new ideas, materials and clinical techniques constantly emerging in all areas of the profession and from all over the world.

Aesthetic Orthodontics is one such field that has seen and is still experiencing significant advancement, particularly with the growing emphasis on aesthetics.

Today, limited outcome ‘aesthetic orthodontics’ involves almost invisible appliances, maximum patient comfort, and minimal preparation on the existing teeth. The Inman Aligner established itself as one such option several years ago, and it soon became renowned for its ability to promote minimally invasive dentistry.

As the UK pioneer and the world’s most experienced clinician with the Inman Aligner, Dr Tif Qureshi is proud announce that the company behind the appliance is developing and expanding.

“This is something we have been thinking about and planning for a very long time now but we always want to work with the best people,” he says. “The Inman Aligner has built a great reputation for offering one of the best short-term aesthetic orthodontic training courses available, and this provided us with an effective platform to work from.

“As anyone who has attended one of our courses will know, our instructors are not driven by the motivation to ‘sell’, and so have always been very honest and have highlighted the limitations of the appliance as well as the many benefits. Having studied these restrictions for some time, we are soon to introduce to the UK two more systems that have the ability to treat cases not suitable for the Inman Aligner.”

Using the same ethical and planning principles, the team are soon to add IAS ClearSmile Aligners and IAS 6 Month Braces (Powerprox) to their repertoire. Both new treatment options are more than suitable for all GDPs to offer, are easy to work with and use simple mechanisms to achieve the best results. They are designed to be as discreet as possible, and offer safe and comfortable orthodontics for all. Requiring similar protocols with regards to occlusion setup and digital treatment planning, the new systems also ensure that more patients can be treated effectively with the same ethical systems.

“Both systems will incorporate our existing company philosophies and ethics,” explains Dr Qureshi. “The training for each will also be delivered in a similar format, as we believe that the better the training is, the better the treatment outcomes will be. The same essential ‘Spacewize’ software that comes with the Inman Aligner will also help enhance practitioners’s digital treatment planning with the new systems, ensuring successful results from their first case by allowing real digital anterior arch planning.”

Looking at IAS 6 Month Braces (Powerprox), Dr Qureshi is keen to highlight that the team are working with the best in the business to provide comprehensive training for clinicians.

“The training for IAS 6 Month Braces (Powerprox) will be headed by the famous Dr Rick DePaul – by far and away the best instructor in short-term-orthodontics [STO] around the world. Widely attributed as the originator of STO and indirect tray systems and highly praised among the US dental community (dentaltown US is a good example), Rick is recognised for developing and perfecting the concept. Committed to ethical and thorough training, he also works with a similar teaching style to those we have already been employing, so we are delighted to be working with him. In addition, Rick has been teaching STO for over 10 years – far longer than anyone else in this field.

“As such, the training for IAS 6 Month Braces (Powerprox) will be hands-on and will demonstrate how to use and adjust the appliance for optimal results. As with the Inman Aligner, all GPDs taking the course will also have access to on going support through the online forums, which professionals can utilise to gain any bespoke information or advice they need.”

The IAS ClearSmile training will also be supported by these online forums, which practitioners can use to post photos of their cases and seek guidance both from fellow clinicians and directly from the experts. This is particularly useful for initial cases and for those that require a more complex treatment plan.

“With all three short-term-orthodontic appliances, clinicians will be able to offer fast, safe and highly effective treatments to more patients. The Inman Aligner is probably the simplest of the appliances, but there are cases that it is not suitable for, so IAS ClearSmile and IAS 6 Month Braces (Powerprox) are the natural progression from here. For some time we have been helping clinicians with cases using similar products, and now we are delighted to provide a fully structured service encompassing all the comprehensive training and continual support practitioners need. The real difference here is that rather than people just jumping on the band wagon of STO, the true originators of the Inman Aligner technique and the true originator of all 6 month-style systems have combined to form the best team with the most experienced teachers around. We also have Specialist Orthodontists on our forums to assist with advice on cases that are outside the remit of GDP orthodontics, and better suited for referral.”

Now incorporating all three orthodontic appliances, the overall company will soon re-brand to Intelligent Alignment Systems (IAS), from whom you will be able to source all the information, advice and guidance you could need. Demonstrating just how far the world of Aesthetic orthodontics has come, these courses are tailored specifically to your needs, whether or not you have previous training or experience in this field.

Find out how you can provide convenient, safe and effective orthodontic treatment for your patients today.

For more information on the training courses available from IAS,

please call 0845 366 5477