Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2025
07:32
Author Spotlight: 3D Movement Assessment of Maxillary Posterior Teeth in Clear Aligner Treatment
Published on: February 23, 2024
1.1K
Interproximal reduction in the refinement phase of Invisalign treatment: A quantitative analysis
Tarek Abasseri1, Tony Weir1, Maurice J Meade1
1Orthodontic Unit, Adelaide Dental School, Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Summary
Nearly 40% of interproximal reduction (IPR) in clear aligner therapy was prescribed during refinement stages. Mandibular anterior regions were most commonly treated, with many patients requiring repeated IPR at the same sites.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics
- Dental Technology
Background:
- Interproximal reduction (IPR) is a standard procedure in modern orthodontic treatment.
- Clear aligner therapy, exemplified by the Invisalign system, is increasingly utilized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively analyze the prescription patterns of IPR during the refinement phases of Invisalign treatment.
- To compare IPR in initial versus refinement digital treatment plans (DTPs).
Main Methods:
- Evaluation of digital treatment plans (DTPs) from 330 patients treated by 11 orthodontists.
- Data extraction included patient demographics and IPR prescriptions from initial and refinement DTPs via the ClinCheck interface.
- Statistical analysis employed descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests.
Main Results:
- Of 242 eligible patients, 75.2% were female, with a median age of 29.2 years.
- 39.6% of IPR sites (859 sites) were prescribed in refinement DTPs, compared to 60.4% (1312 sites) in initial DTPs.
- Median IPR per patient was 0.6 mm in refinement versus 1.1 mm in initial DTPs, with the mandibular anterior region being the most frequent site.
Conclusions:
- Approximately 40% of prescribed IPR occurred during the refinement stage of clear aligner treatment.
- The mandibular anterior region was the primary area for IPR prescription.
- Nearly half of patients received repeated IPR at the same tooth contact sites throughout their treatment.
