Eliminating bad press is obviously one of the first considerations when dealing with the public. In orthodontics, recycled brackets are a no.. no in the eyes of any consumer. I know I wouldn’t want to be treated with recycled brackets. If word got out your practice was placing used brackets, you can kiss your credibility goodbye. Unfortunately for the orthodontic consumer, few are aware of the possibility of this happening and it would be tough proving they were used, once in the mouth, if they did.
The reason I am mentioning this is due to an ABC news update I watched on the shelf life of tires. Most consumers are unaware in the United States that tires dry out and become unsafe over time. To make matters worse, most tire retailers are aware of this and fail to remove the outdated inventory of new tires as a precautionary measure to protect consumers. There are no laws making it mandatory. In Europe, the consumer is well educated on this fact and Ford Motor Company has recommended for years that expiration dates be put on tires, but to no avail.
Watch this video to determine how you can check to see how old your tires are and if they are considered safe for you and your family to ride on. http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897 This is an important warning. And if you use recycled brackets… is it really worth it?