The more information that is provided at this stage, the more tailored the treatment plan will be, this will also limit the need for modifications that could delay treatment.

1. Treatment type – Would the patient like dual arch treatment or prefer to focus on one arch? During this section you will need to select which plan the patient would like; standard treatment plan, treatment plan with prealigners or PAYG aligners.
2. Duration & prescription details – As we recommend a minimum of two weeks per aligner the duration per aligner is automatically filled in for 2 weeks. In this section you will also fill out the prescription details, in this box we would recommend going into as much detail as you have. What are the patients’ main concerns? Are there any teeth the patient would not like moving? It is also valuable to flag up any concerns that the patient may be having here, such as the patient is not fond on IPR/attachments and would like these limiting or they have a specific end date that they are aiming for.
3. Alignment – Would the patient prefer gingival or incisal edge alignment? There are also options regarding spacing/crowding and how you would like to create space for these to be resolved.
4. IPR & attachments – Is the patient happy for IPR and attachments to be included within the treatment plan? If not, we need to know at this stage as this would affect the treatment plan.
5. Treatment instructions – Here you can specify the patient’s preference on the current overjet, overbite, open bite, crossbites and midline.
6. Teeth chart – On the teeth chart you can select teeth and mark the status of specific teeth if required- for example, if teeth are missing, crowned or if there is a planned extraction to be taking place.
7. Occlusion – Here you can add the patients Skeletal and dental class including any details of parafunction/deviation.
8. Periodontium – What is the patients Biotype and if recession is present which class is this?

At the prescription stage it is helpful to note the patient’s periodontal health and any findings that have been picked up while the intraoral examination is being conducted. The prescription is an effective record to refer to throughout treatment to check the original goals have been achieved.

Clinic Photos:

Clinical photos are a valuable assessment tool for both the dentist and the technicians involved in planning the treatment. They can be used to assess the occlusion and confirm the patient’s bite. This is a crucial step in treatment, if the occlusion/bite is incorrect this could lead to a different outcome than expected. Photos can also be used to confirm that the scan or impression matches the prescription sent and everything is okay to be planned.

When submitting a prescription on SmileGenius there is an option to attach clinical photos and X-rays. The patient also has an option to add progress photos through the patient app so that they can track their progress, these photos could also be great to be used for your practice’s marketing materials.

As a standard 3 to 5 photos are required to accurately assess the patient’s occlusion and compare to the scans or impressions provided. When taking photos, aim to position the camera slightly above the horizontal line to prevent the Smile line from translating incorrectly on the photo. All photos should be taken in a well-lit room against a bright background.

• A portrait photo where the patient is smiling – This can help the technician assess the midline of the patients face in comparison to the teeth. It is crucial to not tilt the camera to compensate for any facial asymmetries or cants. Aim to have the patients nose in the centre of the picture and capture the patients head and the top of their shoulders.
• Frontal intraoral photo – Using cheek retractors enables you to be able to capture all the teeth and the surrounding gingiva, it is essential that the retractors are held evenly to prevent the look of a cant if this is not present. Capturing any frenum is beneficial so the technician can compare the scan/impression and ensure these areas are free when the aligners are manufactured.
• Buccal intraoral photos – Again, using cheek retractors take photos from both the left and the right side capturing as far back as possible.
• Occlusal photos – Continuing using retractors, take both upper and lower occlusal images using a mirror ideally with a handle to make positioning easier. It could also be helpful for the patient to bite down on some contact paper to show where the patient occludes.

X-Rays

X-rays are not a required for the technician to proceed with a treatment plan, however it can provide an insight into the condition of the patient’s teeth, bone and roots. It is also good to have all of the patient’s files in one place on SmileGenius to refer back to throughout the patient’s aligner treatment.