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DENTAL PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES IN CLEAR ALIGNER THERAPY: A SCOPING REVIEW
Junbo Wang1, Rami Boulakroune1, Shiqi Gu1
1State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Orthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
The Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice
|August 5, 2026
Summary
This review maps dental patient-reported outcomes (dPROs) in clear aligner therapy (CAT), finding 48 dPRO items across seven domains. Standardized instruments are needed to improve CAT research consistency.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics and Dental Research
- Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement
Background:
- Clear aligner therapy (CAT) is increasingly popular in orthodontics.
- Understanding patient perspectives through dental patient-reported outcomes (dPROs) is crucial for evaluating CAT effectiveness.
- Existing literature on dPROs in CAT is fragmented, necessitating a systematic overview.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically map existing literature on dPROs in CAT.
- To identify current knowledge gaps in dPRO research for clear aligner therapy.
- To guide future research directions in this field.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science up to September 2025.
- Studies investigating dPROs in orthodontic patients undergoing CAT were included.
- Data were charted and synthesized following JBI methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
Main Results:
- 55 studies involving 2757 patients met the inclusion criteria.
- 48 distinct dPRO items relevant to CAT patients were identified.
- These items were categorized into seven domains: quality of life, satisfaction, symptoms, well-being, hygiene, convenience, and adherence.
Conclusions:
- Clear aligner therapy offers patient-centered benefits, but research is limited by a lack of standardized, CAT-specific outcome measures.
- There is a need to develop a core outcome set for CAT.
- Validated instruments specific to CAT are required to enhance consistency and comparability in clinical evidence.