Dr. Suzie Bergman serves as a Tenured Instructor for McGann Postgraduate School of Dentistry and Progressive Orthodontic Seminars.

What is TMJ? 

TMJ is an abbreviation for Temporomandibular Joint. When people say, “I have TMJ” this is similar to saying “I have knee”. We actually have two of them! The TMJ is the articulation of the movable lower jaw (mandible) and the base of the skull (temporal bone) that make it possible to open and close the mouth. Located on each side of the head, the TMJ is a ball and socket joint, with an intervening disc, that works together along with supporting jaw muscles and ligaments to allow chewing, speaking, and swallowing.

Topics: Progressive Orthodontic Seminars, Orthodontic Education, TMJ, TMD, Dental Education, TMJ Treatment

As the demand for aligners grows, so does the chance for misdiagnosis. Relying solely on a lab tech to treatment plan your patients isn’t ideal. We asked our Aligner+ Instructor and Consultant, Dr. Collins Harrell, to identify the most common issues that arise from improper diagnosis and treatment planning of aligner cases, and this is what he said:

Topics: Orthodontic Tips, Clear Aligners, Orthodontics, Progressive Orthodontic Seminars, Aligners, Mentoring, Consulting

Read more to learn about common causes of patients' band brackets breaking. Here's a couple of tips on how to minimize breakage!

Progressive Dental Supply (PDS) is there for you in your time of need. We like to support our POS family and help supply them with their needs during cases.

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Topics: SmileStream, Orthodontic Supplies, Progressive Dental Supply, Band Brackets

Wondering if your case is appropriate to start at your current skill level? Ask an instructor.

 

Use POS' most valuable resource the free Case Quick Check. Sending your quick check records to instructors is easy. Watch this video tutorial or follow these steps to send records to an instructor.

Topics: My First Ortho Patient, SmileStream, Tips for Success, Current POS Students, New POS Students, Video, Consulting, Orthodontic Education

Dr. David Dana has been practicing orthodontics now for almost 3 decades! As Progressive Orthodontic Seminar's Education Director, he knows just how special orthodontics is for his practice and his patients. Learning orthodontics isn't just beneficial to you, but to your whole practice and all of your patients. The video below will give you the highlights of what learning orthodontics can do for you. 

Topics: Orthodontic News, POS Instructor Tips, POS Family, Tips for Success, New POS Students, Orthodontics, Progressive Orthodontic Seminars

We are publishing articles in a new series called “Dentistry in the time of COVID-19”, addressing how dentistry and orthodontics are changing, with tips to adapt your practice to this new environment.

With communities and businesses starting to reopen in certain regions, many dentists have strategized how to strengthen their practices' financial health.

In this article, we've detailed five reasons why more general dentists are choosing to add orthodontics to their services. 

Topics: Orthodontic News, Tips for Success, Clear Aligners, Business of Orthodontics, Orthodontics, Dentistry during COVID-19

 

Have you ever been excited when you removed braces and saw a gorgeous finish? But then you noticed a few months to two years later, that your patient's teeth didn't have the same beautiful alignment, maybe with spaces reopening or teeth rotating back to their original positions? 

 

This "April Fools" type of case is called "relapse" and occurs because teeth often want to go back to their original positions. 

Topics: POS Instructor Tips, Tips for Success, Current POS Students, Case Finishing, Orthodontics for Beginners, Mechanics, Orthodontic Supplies

Exploring the Essential Orthodontic Products for Your Dental Office

General Practitioners use orthodontic products to improve patient outcomes; Dr. Helen Barron pictured.

Progressive Orthodontic Seminars (POS) and Progressive Dental Supply (PDS) are the authorities on the orthodontic products you should be using in your dental practice. 

Topics: SmileStream, Orthodontic Supplies

Dear POS Family,

The COVID pandemic has affected many practices and families over this past year. We have finally started to see some positive news the last few weeks. With vaccines starting to roll out globally, there finally appears to be some hope that we will be through this pandemic soon.

With this in mind, we have begun to plan how we can better serve dentists and provide you more opportunities. We believe in the value of in-person seminars, and have listened to many of you asking for these events to happen again.

Topics: Orthodontic News, POS Family, Continuing Education, Orthodontics, Dentistry during COVID-19

Discover the Best Orthodontic Diagnosis Software on the Market for Your Dental Office

Plan treatment more efficiently and accurately by using an in-depth software program. Dr. Michael Berry using SmileStream.

Choosing the right orthodontic diagnostic software can help you to maximize your orthodontic efficiency by getting predictable outcomes with accurate treatment planning. While there are several orthodontic software programs in the industry, the best ones offer precise treatment planning systems, not just visuals to help your case presentation.

Topics: SmileStream, Orthodontic Supplies