"Recycling of orthodontic bands: who benefits the economy?"

Respect for the environment requires, recycling is in vogue. In dentistry, this has long been laboratories buy weight metal residues of dental amalgam could be inserted in the mouth, and the precious metal crowns have been filed because of age.

Refurbished, rings and clips are placed in the mouth of a second patient, then a third, a fourth and so on ...




Recycling rings and clips of Orthodontics

Some laboratories have developed a little known but lucrative: recycling rings and orthodontic attachments. Still called "brackets", the metallic devices stuck to the teeth are in principle for a single use, as well as the manufacturers mentioned on the packaging.

It is possible to reuse provided to entrust to a cleaning company that rid the residue of glue, repolit and even gives a brilliant stroke.

Refurbished, rings and clips are placed in the mouth of a second patient, then a third, a fourth and so on.



The opportunity for the price of new

It is surprising that the practice is perfectly legal because the law considers an orthodontic device, provided they are recycled by an accredited laboratory, is the equivalent of a nine.

The most absurd is that the law sets no limit to the number of authorized recycling. A attaches recycled ten times is seen as a new attachment never served.

Orthodontics is the only area where you have to clean and restore a helping polish a material used to be considered a legal point of view equivalent to a nine.

If enough of brick and retype the bodywork of a car into a vehicle as new, what would be windfall for the garage.



Who owns the recycling rings and ties?

No patient who pays for a new and was put to his knowledge material used.

In addition, the performance of recycled devices n'égalent not new material, which undermines the effectiveness of treatment.

Recycling also increases the propensity of the metal to corrode and therefore the amount of metal ions released in contact with saliva.

The increase of corrosion does not fail to raise various issues, including increased intake of metal particles with an increased risk of poisoning metals (including nickel, highly allergenic, chromium, etc.)..

The rings are recycled an additional source of heavy metal pollution which the patient is far from suspecting.

The orthodontist has, however, stand to gain from such a process. The cost of recycling is much less than the cost of a new attachment.

Some saved tens of euros per patient finally make a tidy sum at the end of the year, especially for a large firm.



Bearing rings recycled?

It is impossible to know how many orthodontists are recycle their rings and fasteners. However, it is sufficient to type in an Internet search engine the words "recycling orthodontic bands" to see that the practice, albeit discreet, has a presence.

Similarly, it is impossible for a patient to know if it is in the mouth of the recycled material.

Whereas it is a material equivalent to nine, the legislature has not seen fit to make the patient information in this regard.

Is this not the most outrageous? The idea to carry materials that others have kept in the mouth (two to three years or more) is rather repulsive. We can not recycle IUDs.

It is recommended for each patient in order to recover the rings, clips and son for which he paid. They may thus not be recycled.



For those who want new equipment

When in doubt, the patient will turn to non-metallic devices.

Only plastic fasteners, non-recyclable, put away that risk. But they have other drawbacks, including the deterioration in the mouth and not suitable for molars for which the rings are required.

Contrary to what one might think, ceramic fasteners are easier to recycle than those made of metal.

The devices used in removable orthodontic functional are made to measure from footprints.

Other systems use single type aligner synthetic material, can replace the rings and metal fasteners successfully.

All these devices to alternative rings are explained with their advantages and disadvantages in the book Orthodontics, stop the massacre, which also details the consequences of recycling (on the teeth and health) and legal aspects of the practice.