Please activate JavaScript!
Please install Adobe Flash Player, click here for download
ePaper created 2018-03-13, 09:28:55 | version 1.38.0
case series | Fig. 12 Fig. 13 Fig. 14 Fig. 15 Fig. 12: The Veltri appliance with a broken arm. Fig. 13: Intra-oral laser welding. Fig. 14: The wire of the appliance repaired. Fig. 15: The appliance reactivated after welding of the wire. was employed (Fig. 13). The procedure was performed without filler metal and took 2 minutes, and the irradiation time was 20 s (Fig. 14). After the reparation, the therapy was continued, turning the screw until the required space was achieved (Fig. 15). Conclusion the The ability to weld broken orthodontic appliances directly in the office represents for the dentist a new prospect, allowing restoration of appliances extremely quickly without additional costs (the weld- ing appliance is the same used for dental therapies). Being able to maintain the integrity of plastic, acrylic and ceramic parts close to the welding zone and the ability to make the reparation while the patient is sitting in the chair and in one visit only are, in our opinion, the great advantages in terms of costs, marketing, patient satisfaction and efficiency of the office. Moreover, as shown in the clinical cases presented, the welding pro- cess may also be performed intra-orally without risks and discomfort to the patient. The period of learning for dentists is very short, owing to the simple and fast procedure, because the parameters are standard and it is not necessary to change or adapt them to differ- ent clinical situations. We think that this technique rep- resents a valid aid in our daily practice and, simultane- ously, opens a new chapter in laser dentistry, bringing new possibilities we intend to analyse and test in fur- ther research. about Prof. Carlo Fornaini is researcher in the MICORALIS Laboratory at the University of Nice and teacher of the Diplome Inter- Universitaire (DIU) in “Oral Laser Applications” of the Universities of Nice and Bordeaux. He can be contacted at carlo@fornainident.it. Prof. Caroline Bertrand is the Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Bordeaux and Director of the Diplome InterUniversi- taire (DIU) in “Oral Laser Applica- tions” of the Universities of Nice and Bordeaux. She can be contacted at caroline.bertrand@u-bordeaux.fr. ortho 1 2018 09