Preface to COAST 2016 innovators' workshop on personalized and precision orthodontic therapy

A second focused workshop explored how to transfer novel findings into clinical orthodontic practice.

Participants met in West Palm Beach (Florida, USA), on 9-11 September 2016 for the Consortium for Orthodontic Advances in Science and Technology 2016 Innovators' Workshop (COAST). Approximately 65 registered attendees considered and discussed information from 27 to 34 speakers, 8 to 15 poster presenters and four lunch-hour focus group leaders.

The innovators' workshops were organized according to five themed sessions. The aims of the discussion sessions were to identify the following: i) the strength and impact of the evidenced-based discoveries, ii) required steps to enable further development and iii) required steps to translate these new discoveries into orthodontic practice.

The role of gene-environment interactions that underlie complex craniofacial traits was the focus of several sessions. It was agreed that diverse approaches are called for, such as (i) large-scale collaborative efforts for future genetic studies of complex traits; (ii) deep genome sequencing to address the issues of isolated mutations; (iii) quantifying epigenetic-environmental variables in diverse areas myofascial pain, alveolar remodelling and mandibular growth. Common needs identified from the themed sessions were multiscale/multispecies modelling and experimentation using controlled and quantified mechanics and translation of the findings in bone biology between species. Panel discussions led to the consensus that a consortium approach to establish standards for intra-oral scanning and 3D imaging should be initiated.

Current and emerging technologies still require supported research to translate new findings from the laboratory to orthodontic practice.