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Differences in finished case quality between Invisalign and traditional fixed appliances.
The Angle Orthodontist
|February 15, 2022
Summary
Invisalign aligners with SmartForce features showed similar posttreatment occlusal outcomes to traditional braces, despite longer treatment times. Both methods achieved comparable results after 6 months of retention.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics
- Dental Technology
Background:
- Traditional fixed appliances are widely used for malocclusion correction.
- Advancements in clear aligner technology, such as Invisalign with SmartForce features, aim to improve treatment efficiency and outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the treatment duration and posttreatment occlusal outcomes between Invisalign aligners with SmartForce features and traditional fixed appliances.
- To evaluate the stability of occlusal results at 6 months posttreatment.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 66 patients (32 aligners, 34 fixed appliances).
- Occlusion was assessed using the ABO Discrepancy Index and ABO Objective Grading System (OGS) at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 6-month retention.
- Treatment duration was recorded and compared between groups.
Main Results:
- The fixed appliance group completed treatment significantly faster (0.4 years) than the aligner group.
- No statistically significant differences were found in total OGS scores between groups at posttreatment or 6-month retention.
- While alignment and overjet worsened in the aligner group posttreatment, buccolingual inclinations and occlusal relations improved, with similar overall posttreatment changes observed between groups.
Conclusions:
- Clear aligners require longer treatment times for simple malocclusions compared to traditional braces.
- Despite longer treatment duration, Invisalign aligners with SmartForce features achieve comparable occlusal outcomes and stability to fixed appliances.
