Bilingual Aligner Removal Tool (BART)
Regular price $12.00 AUDThe BART has been designed to dislodge clear aligners with ease, comfort and protection of essential attachments which are critical to the success of treatment.
BART is superior to previous generation removal appliances in that it :
- Prevents excessive forces being applied to aligners
- Specifically designed to remove aligners from lingual aspect of teeth
- Minimises the likelihood of attachments being dislodged
- Easily sterilised and fabricated with medical grade stainless steel
Prevention of excessive force
The shape of clear aligners is essential to provide forces required to move the teeth as predictably as possible. If the shape of the aligner is disrupted, the aligner will not apply the prescribed forces accurately.
BART has been engineered to prevent excessive pressure being applied on the aligners on the labial aspect, where most of the prescribed aligner forces are supposed to be applied. Previous devices in the market provide too much force on the buccal aspect of the aligners, causing significant changes in aligner shape and heightened risk of breaking attachments off.
As premolar and molar teeth generally have a larger undercut due to their buccal morphology, more force is required to dislodge each aligner than if removal is attempted from the lingual or palatal aspect.
The BART device engages each aligner on the lingual or palatal aspect and provides fingertip control to gently dislodge the aligner initially and then to easily roll it out.
Handle Design
By only allowing a finger and thumb to grip the BART device, only minimal forces can be applied to the periphery of the aligner. Previous devices used a ring pull handle which allows patients to use their arms and shoulders to apply excessive force and from an incorrect labial position.
Prevention of attachment dislodgement
Composite attachments placed on teeth during clear alignment act like handles to allow aligners to apply forces as efficaciously as possible.
They can be difficult and time-consuming to place and are often dislodged by patients placing excessive force during aligner removal.
The BART device minimises the chance of attachment dislodgement by dislodging the aligners from the lingual aspect and allowing for them to be rolled out over the attachments.
Instructions for use:
Upper aligner removal:
- Use your thumb and forefinger to grasp the handle of the BART device.
- Start with one side of the mouth. Engage the U- shaped hook of the BART device with the edge of the aligner (nearest to the gums on the palate side), as far back as is comfortable.
- Using finger pressure only, pull down initially and then out towards the cheeks to dislodge the aligner from the back teeth.
- Then move the U-shaped hook forwards, between the 2 premolars and dislodge this area with the same down and out motion.
- Next, move BART to the opposite side of the mouth and repeat the process.
- Move the tool closer to the front teeth area, pulling with the same motion, which should complete the removal of the aligners from the upper arch.
Dislodging aligners with finger nails can change the shape of the aligners and diminish their effectiveness.
Using a ring pull hook warps the aligner and dislodges attachments easily.
Lower arch removal:
- Repeat the same process as for the upper aligner but slide BART between your tongue and the inside of the aligner ( next to the gum).
- Once engaged with the edge of the aligner, simply dislodge it by pulling upwards and then rolling the aligner over the attachments and teeth.
- Repeat this process further towards the front of the aligner and on the other side of the mouth (if required).
Cleaning instructions:
- The BART device can be inserted into a dishwasher safely or simply scrubbed with an aligner cleaning brush.
- Ideal sterilisation is provided by insertion into the AseptaLign device (ultra violet LED) for 150 seconds.
