Given the increasing emphasis on aesthetics in dentistry, it makes sense that patients would respond positively to a practice with a pleasing design. With this in mind, Dental Tribune Online spoke with Dr Yannick Le Carboulec, an orthodontist based in France, about his experiences using the ORTHORA 200 treatment unit from the Swiss company MIKRONA and how he ensures his patients are treated in comfort.

Dr Le Carboulec, what was it that first interested you about orthodontics?
I first became familiar with what orthodontics was after my sister suffered an accident. At the time, she was 10 years old and was setting up a party at her school when the platform on which she was standing broke. In her fall, she suffered a total dislocation of a maxillary central incisor, which could not be reimplanted immediately. Given her young age, we were advised to undertake orthodontic treatment with the extraction of three premolar germs and transplantation of a germ in place of the lost incisor, which was subsequently restored with an incisor-shaped crown. Thirty years later, the tooth is still there!

What types of orthodontic treatments are popular at your practice? What kinds of patients do you primarily deal with?
I treat both children and adults, with the latter representing about 20 per cent of my patients. I quickly adopted a digital approach for the implementation of orthopaedic appliances and aligner treatment. In addition, I made the choice to offer my patients only individualised orthodontic treatments, irrespective of whether they are buccal or lingual. Also, I use the Insignia and suresmile techniques, which, thanks to their digitisation, allow me to obtain better results and to anticipate many of the problems that may occur during treatment.

For how long have you been using MIKRONA’s ORTHORA 200 dental unit, and why did you decide to first use it?
I bought my first MIKRONA chairs during equipping of my first practice in Montbrison in 2009. I chose them for several reasons: besides their beautiful design and the fact that they are available in a large choice of colours, they are the narrowest dental chairs on the market (47.5 cm in width). This compactness allows me to treat adults and children alike with ease, as the ability to work closer to them reduces the potential for developing a backache. Furthermore, the fact that they are made in Switzerland—a country recognised worldwide for the quality and precision of its products—assured me in my choice. When the time came for me to equip my new office in Lyon, I did not hesitate; I already had confidence in MIKRONA.

The ORTHORA 200 is known for its impressive range of customisability options, allowing it to be adapted to the specific desires of each dentist. How have you customised your ORTHORA unit to suit your needs?
Regarding the customisation of the chair, I first sought to maximise the ease of movement around the chair to more easily facilitate the dental hygienist’s work. Thus, though the spittoon offered by MIKRONA is very beautiful, I prefer to use the built-in aspirator, as this allows for improved accessibility. For each of my ORTHORA units, I have an adjustable table that can be moved to improve access, a four-instrument rack and an instrument tray positioned on a chair base.

How does the mobility and ergonomic design of the ORTHORA 200 benefit you and your patients?
I think that the refined ergonomic configuration of the ORTHORA 200 makes adjusting it easier for both the patient and me. This means that less time and energy are wasted on inefficient movements. The simplicity of the design itself, in addition, has a calming effect on the patient.

In your opinion, how important is practice design?
Practice design is a crucial element of my profession: for the patient, this is part of the nonverbal communication that takes place when he or she first enters the practice. The office layout, the quality of the furnishings and the evident modernity should reflect the manner in which we work. If the patient responds positively to the design of our practice, it will build his or her confidence in our abilities.

On the practitioner’s side, we often spend more time in the office than at home. It is therefore very important that we feel relaxed and comfortable at work. In addition, an ergonomic and pleasant office will allow us to attract employees more easily.

What emphasis do you place on the maintenance of your ORTHORA 200 unit?
I scrupulously follow MIKRONA's recommendations in terms of maintenance. As a result, I have never really encountered any problems with these chairs, and they have proved to be very reliable.

Thank you very much for the interview.

Article Interview