Alterations of the oral microbiome in patients treated with the Invisalign system or with fixed appliances

Although the Invisalign system has been used widely in recent years, the influences of this treatment on the oral microbiome and whether or not this influence is different from that of fixed appliances is still unknown. In this study, we investigated the changes in the oral microbiome in patients treated with the Invisalign system or with fixed appliances.

Fifteen subjects were enrolled, comprising 5 fixed appliance patients, 5 Invisalign patient, and 5 healthy controls. Saliva samples were collected, and high-throughput pyrosequencing was performed based on the 16S rRNA gene.

Both fixed and Invisalign orthodontic treatments resulted in dysbiosis of the oral microbiome. Firmicutes and TM7 at the phyla level and Neisseria at the genus level displayed statistically significant differences between the 2 orthodontic groups. The effect of these changes with microbiome on oral health was inconsistent. The inferred microbial function of the Invisalign group suggested this group was more predisposed to periodontal diseases.

The influence of the Invisalign system on the oral microbiome was no better for oral health compared with fixed appliances. The convenience of maintaining oral hygiene rather than changes in the oral microbiome may be the underlying reason for the performance of the Invisalign system on oral health.