October 31st, 2017

One of the most frequent questions patients ask is, “Is there a way to accelerate orthodontic treatment?” Dr. King is happy to respond with a resounding, yes! As a Propel® provider, Dr. King can get you in and out of Invisalign in about a third of the time. Dr. King’s continuing education hours are ten times greater than the required amount so he has the skinny on safe and proven ways to help his patients achieve results quickly, comfortably and effectively. That’s something he’s happy to make available to you and why he recommends Propel technology.

WHAT IS PROPEL?

For a variety of reasons many patients don’t like the thought of spending years straightening their teeth and thanks to Propel Orthodontics it’s not necessary. Propel is a procedure that is used in conjunction with Invisalign. Dr. King is able to incorporate the procedure at your regular office visit and can complete a session which makes the teeth move faster. Often treatment time is cut by up to 66%.

HOW DOES PROPEL WORK?

Many things can influence the duration of your treatment time. The largest factor affecting how quickly your teeth move into their new position is the rate of bone remodeling. Okay, so this may be a little technical but you’ll be able to understand. The osteoclasts and osteoblast increase which is caused by the Rapid Acceleration Phenomenon (RAP). The bone is treabsorbed and rebuilt which is known as bone remodeling.

The Propel device is used to make micro-osteoperforations (MOPs), or tiny perforations that are the size of a pinhole in the bone around the teeth. The MOPs encourage a natural inflammatory response, which stimulates the release of the cells involved in the breakdown of the bone. This kicks off bone remodeling and accelerates tooth movement. MOPs increase the rate of tooth movement reducing treatment time by up to 66%.

Propel is gentle and very little discomfort is experienced during the procedure. Numbing is required and one should take Tylenol the next day. One or two Propel treatments are usually required but complicated tooth movement may require additional treatments. Patients go back to work that same day.

IS PROPEL SAFE?

Absolutely! The American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics noted that Propel is an “effective, comfortable, and safe procedure that accelerates tooth movement significantly.”

PROPEL TREATMENT AFTERCARE

Remember, there’s zero recovery time after a Propel procedure but to get the most out of treatment there are a few recommended steps:

You might experience minor sensitivity which will go away in a day or two. It’s extremely important that you don’t take anti-inflammatory pain medication like Aspirin or Ibuprofen. Inflammation is a good thing in this case because the inflammatory response is how Propel works its magic to speed up orthodontic treatment. Spicy food is not your friend for a few days. Stay away from anything with citric acid (e.g., orange juice, lemons or limes) for several days because the treatment area will be a bit sensitive.

While the micro-perforations are healing, swish with undiluted hydrogen peroxide or rinse with chlorhexedine two or three times a day ensuring a clean and disinfected mouth. Brushing afterward will make the whole hydrogen peroxide rinse experience fade away quickly!

AM I A CANDIDATE?

Perhaps, but because every mouth and orthodontic needs are different the best thing to do is come in to the office so Dr. King can determine that for you. Diagnostic records will be taken to see exactly what the needs are in your specific case. We’ll have the coffee ready and are looking forward to meeting you.

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