3D Printed Aligners: Material Science, Workflow and Clinical Applications

Abstract

Clear aligner orthodontic treatment is not a new treatment modality. Treatment with the use of plastic invisible removable appliances counts more than 80 years when Kesling introduced the tooth positioner, Sheridan intro-duced the Essix aligner and Align technology its aligners. In-house designing and aligner fabrication has been around for more than 10 years. The last years a digital technological and material advancement has changed the process of aligner manufacturing from the plastic foil thermoforming procedure to a direct aligner printing one. Direct aligner printing posses advantages and some disadvantages compared to the traditional thermoforming procedure. The aligner designing and printing workflow entails steps that are sensitive to errors that must be care-fully analyzed and studied through scientific research. Due to the versatile printed aligner designing capabilities, aligners can be designed to fulfill specific clinical needs. A few evidence based scientific studies have been pub-lished which help to understand and optimize the final printed outcome. Despite that, more studies are needed in order to overcome difficulties and create an appliance that will meet the demands of a successful orthodontic treatment.