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6th WIN User Meeting with more than 370 Participants in Frankfurt-on-the-Main
11. February 2020
The sixth edition of our WIN User Meeting, on 30th November 2019 in Frankfurt-on-the-Main was organized as a dual event this year. Along with the German-speaking WIN Users who trust us, many of our international clients from more than 20 countries had made the journey to Frankfurt. Thus, the Hilton City Centre saw around 370 orthodontists and orthodontic post-graduates gathering for what turned out to be the biggest event focused on lingual orthodontics around the world.
The participants were treated to a comprehensive and exciting programme with talks by lingual experts from home and abroad. All presentations in the German language were translated to English by simultaneous interpreters for the international guests.
Lingual Experts from Home and Abroad Invited to Deliver Papers
As usual, the User Meeting began with a short update by the very inventor of the WIN Appliance. Professor Dirk Wiechmann addressed recent publications and current trends in studies. This was followed by the invited speakers.
Professor Collin Jacobs, of Jena presented the results of a study conducted on how aesthetic appliances are perceived, according to which subjects perceived only lingual brackets as not visible at all.
Dr Fawzi al-Qatami had made the long trip from Kuwait and showed, based on a study focused on quality assessment, that the outcome quality in a treatment with a completely customized lingual appliance (WIN) can be very high.
Dr Mariano Gallone, from Italy presented a challenging, cross-discipline treatment case of, among others, pronounced skeletal Class III malocclusion.
Dr Andrea Foltin, of Vienna went on to give her colleagues tips as to how and by which means a popular and efficient treatment method such as the lingual technique can be better integrated with a practice and its dental routines.
The next talk was a report by Dr Jérémy Gonzales, from France on the experiences he had made since the inception of his dental practice specialising in lingual orthodontics.
Dr Frauke Beyling, a colleague in professor Wiechmann’s practice in Bad Essen, addressed the treatment of complex preprosthetic cases with the WIN Appliance, stressing in this respect the critical importance of successful communication with the patient and his or her personal/family dentist.
Exchange of Experience and One-stop Source of Knowledge
After a morning full of information, a lunch buffet was offered in the hotel. Both behind the table and along the information booths, the participants were having lively conversations. Additional entertainment was a photo box which allowed guests to take part in a prize competition on Instagram.
After the lunch break, attorney-at-law, Mr Michael Zach addressed the current legal situation as related to lingual orthodontics.
Then, Dr Catherine Galletti, from France took the floor to illustrate a cross-discipline approach in cases of lateral incisors lacking in the maxilla.
Finally, professor Miquel Merino Arends, from Spain presented three cases from his own practice, which he used as illustrations to explain the classes in the system he has developed for cross-discipline treatment involving the lingual technique. As had done Dr Andrea Foltin, he pointed out in his talk how the importance of aspects of online marketing is increasing in the field of orthodontics.
Questions, Answers and a Look into the Future
In the second part of his update, professor Wiechmann explained a few changes. For instance, the lab order form has been modified, among other things to simplify the aspect of stripping performed on the cast. A new column for archwire selection also now enables an easier and more detailed description of the order. He pointed to extended marketing actions and presented self-ligating and ultra-flat brackets as new bracket series pending introduction to market.
After a coffee break, Dr Julius Vu and Dr Elisabeth Klang used various cases as examples for tips and hints as to how to reduce treatment times.
Towards the end, professor Wiechmann answered questions asked by participants by e-mail before the event. His talk on lingual orthodontics following a preceding aligner treatment wrapped up a very interesting User Meeting.
Thanks from the heart to all speakers who, once again, let us in on their expertise, thereby bringing us a host of new insights, and thumbs-up also for the many good souls who took charge, as in the past, of the smooth running of the event.