We are subjected to the same rules as any manufacturer!

Quotes on orthodontic attachments reuse

         “All respondents felt that they should be told if recycled brackets were to be used, and any savings arising from their use passed on to the consumer” [Miles ORG, Greenslade M, Harkness M, Patient and parent opinion of the reuse of recycled orthodontic brackets: an international comparison, Brit. J. Orthod. 1997; 24(4): 329-32].

        “A survey of 300 members of the British Orthodontic Society showed that 47.5% of respondents recycled metal brackets. Only 7.2% of the orthodontists who recycled brackets informed their patients that recycled brackets were used” [Coley-Smith A, Rock WP, Bracket recycling-who does what, Brit. J. Orthod. 1997; 24(20): 172-4]

        “There may be an economic benefit to both dentist and patient if recycled brackets can be purchased at a lower cost than new devices. This may allow dentists to offer patients a slightly lower fee or to reduce overall fees by decreasing overhead costs” [Alberta Dental Assoc., Updaters, February 1997, Recycled orthodontic brackets]

        “Dentists are not required to inform patients that they are reusing a product, if that product can be safely and effectively re-used” [Alberta Dental Assoc., Updaters, February 1997, Recycled orthodontic brackets]

Data on the quality of reused orthodontic devices

       “Recycled ceramic brackets provide shear bond strengths adequate for clinical use. Moreover, they exhibit bond failures mostly at the bracket/adhesive interface, without causing enamel damage” [Martina A, Laino A, Cacciafesta V, Cantiello P, Recycling effects on ceramic brackets: a dimensional, weight and shear bond strength analysis, European J. Orthod. 1997; 19(6): 629-36].

        “No statistically significant differences were found between the groups or against an untreated control” [Crotty OP, Davies EH, Jones SP, The effect of cross-infection control procedures on the tensile and flexural properties of super-elastic nickel titanium wires, Brit. J. Orthod. 1996; 23(1); 37-41].

        “Recycled brackets are not statistically different from the new ones. In NBC’s broadcast, some of the information was watered down, omitted, in some cases misrepresented” [Fisher TA, e-mail to Ortho-Cycle Co. concerning NBC-TV’s Dateline broadcast of February 1998 misrepresentation of his thesis “An in vitro comparative study of new and recycled orthodontic brackets”, thesis at the U. of Iowa.]