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Advances in Custom Braces Technology

With the constant improvements in orthodontic technology and the evolution of 3D printing, it was fairly inevitable that the two would meet. Originally used only in labs, 3D printers are making their way into orthodontic offices as doctors strive to provide the most efficient, economical treatment possible to their patients. In addition to using this technology to create aligners and retainers, orthodontists can now use it to print indirect bonding trays needed for custom braces.

KLOwen Custom Braces

Dr. Brandon Owen (right), a practicing orthodontist in Fort Collins and Windsor, Colorado, is revolutionizing the way doctors place silver braces on patients’ teeth. Introducing the KLOwen Custom Braces System.

Dr. Owen is no stranger to innovation. He holds seven approved patents and has over twenty more pending. He has consulted with numerous companies involved with digital dentistry and orthodontics, and was asked by three of the four largest orthodontic bracket companies to lead their development of digital braces. He was also the first orthodontist in North America to do in-office digital indirect bonding.

One distinction he is most proud of when it comes to his inventiveness is being the recipient of the first-ever AAO Ortho Innovator Award in 2019 for his custom braces system. Being selected nearly unanimously from a field of 20 contestants is proof that KLOwen Braces are exactly what the orthodontic profession needs.

What Prompted the Creation of KLOwen Braces?

Dr. Owen was watching the aligner systems evolving and improving as braces got left behind. More and more patients were turning to direct-to-consumer options, and he realized the ability to offer braces that treat the toughest cases and are just as convenient to start as plastic aligners was an effective way to make orthodontists more efficient and better than they have ever been.

“If you put the right braces in the right place, the case treats itself,” says Dr. Owen.

How This Digital Braces System Works

Creating custom braces for patients can now be done in  easy steps:

  1. Scan a patient’s mouth 
  2. Design their optimal smile in indirect digital bonding software by OrthoSelect
  3. Brackets are automatically selected
  4. Create 3D-printed transfer trays and load with custom brackets
  5. Bond custom braces to the teeth using the transfer trays
  6. Let the wires do the work

If you have a 3D printer at your practice, you can create the transfer trays and load the brackets yourself. If not, they can be done by a lab.

The Benefits of KLOwen Braces

KLOwen Braces are less expensive and quicker to use than other custom options, and because more of the procedure can be delegated to your team, the process requires less of your time. Appointments are both shorter and less frequent due to the reduction in adjustment needed, and the product still results in great orthodontic outcomes and ABO scores. Offering a unique, custom option, and having the ability to do same-day starts and potentially same-day bondings, help ensure leads turn into patients at their first appointment.

Patients also benefit from this system. They experience less pain and inflammation, spend less time in treatment, and miss less work and school for follow-up visits.

Getting Started

If you’re ready to add KLOwen custom braces to your treatment options, getting started is easy. The best place to begin is atwww.klowenbraces.com. There you will find videos, frequently asked questions, and other information about becoming a provider. You can also contact Corey Blackham at corey@klowenbraces.com or (801) 309-9912.