Orthodontics and the Environment

We all care about a lot of things. The world we leave for our children is a new and important endeavor.  Our health is also important. Medical issues like orthodontics are paramount to us and our oral health. But, can we attain a great smile and perfect oral health while also caring for the earth? In this post, we’ll take a look at orthodontics and the environment and the things the orthodontic industry is doing to combat climate change. Let’s get cracking.

Office Sustainability

Let’s start with the office. An office has the capacity to be an environmental nightmare.  There are, however, ways to reduce the footprint of an office bustling with people and electronic things and West Arvada Orthodontics is doing everything we can to reduce carbon footprint.

• Go paperless. Orthodontists can easily reduce the footprint by going paperless. This means issuing receipts and appointments through the medium of emails and SMS text messages. Appointments can also be arranged on a multitude of patient portals. These are easy to use web-based calendars that even sync to your calendar.  West Arvada Orthodontics is a head of the curve.
• The lighting in an orthodontic office needs to be good. An expert is at work after all. The effects of such a lightning situation can be reduced by using modern tech. Tech like motion-sensor lighting so only when a person is in an area the lights activate. Add to this energy-saving fluorescent or LED light bulbs. and designed lighting so nothing is wasted on lighting empty spaces. Again, we at West Arvada Orthodontics are a head of the curve.
• Recycling paper and printer ink cartridges and indeed any other recyclable material that can be found in an office. Used X-Rays materials are also a thing to watch out for. Low-radiation, digital X-rays don’t require chemical developers and use lead-free PPE.
  • At West Arvada Orthodontics we are fully digital! no x-ray materials, and n chemical developers needed.  Our lead aprons are 100% lead free and protect you and your children from our low radiation high0tech x-ray machine.

There’s more

• The temperature of an orthodontic office is also important. The use of programmable thermostats will help reduce waste. Already in use at West Arvada Orthodontics.
• It may seem a little far fetched but using nature indoors is proven to work as an effective emissions reduction tool. Plants and fauna around the office help oxygenate and humidify the air in a natural way. This also helps the people in the office breathe good air and therefore stay healthy during the visit.  In great use at West Arvada Orthodontics!!!
• Also, natural light is proven to benefit health.  We have plenty of natural light but if you are more comfortable with less, or no light at all, please let us know and we can close the curtains and more.

Utensil Sterilization

Using safe, eco-friendly hot steam sterilization instead of toxic antiseptics and sterilization methods easily reduce footprint. The need to replace utensils are massively reduced when using their sterilization methods.

A good orthodontist will use FDA-registered reusable pouches and wraps for sterilization. They can also implement the use of sterilizable cloth bibs for all team members that need to work within a hygiene protocol. Also, sterilizing several materials together in one autoclave cycle massively reduces the use of energy and materials.  We are a head of the curve on this as well.

Materials

The materials used in an orthodontic office are quite substantial. Things like dental wax, bonding primer, bonding cement, aligners, impression materials, rubber bands, spacers, hardware, retainers, bands, and sealants have come a long way since the early days of orthodontics and are much kinder to the environment.

A good orthodontist will use due diligence when ordering these items to ensure minimum damage to the environment. She or he will always be open to discussing how they operate in terms of environmental impact.  Already there, Thank you.

Invisalign

This is the newest and most effective way to reduce any orthodontic footprint. The need for wires, brackets, and rubber bands, the manufacturing of which harm is reduced or even eliminated with Invisalign or 3M Clarity Clear Aligners and they even look better during your treatment, being only a transparent plastic retainer instead of unsightly metal. On top of that, they are comfortable when wearing and easy to clean with basic and environmentally friendly cleaning products.

The aligners are BPA (Bisphenol-A) free, which is important since BPAs are estrogenic and have been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers and other health issues. BPA is also toxic to the environment.

Performing Sustainable Orthodontics

All the materials used in orthodontics will affect the environment. A good orthodontist will seek ways to combat waste. The Use of biodegradable plastics and packaging is paramount to any industry no less the dental health companies that supply the orthodontic industry. They will no doubt have already instigated this.

A good orthodontist will do things unseen to the patient but really help reductions of footprints. Things like recycling brackets by roughening their base with aluminum oxide and performing new bonding. Things like this help us to understand the efforts put in place by the industry, things we may never see. The use of latex materials is also an easy way to care for the earth.

• Which tip will you try first???
• Either way, let us know by leaving a comment below right now and continue the conversation.