An Update on 3D-printed Orthodontic Aligners
Correspondence Address :
Dr. Ravindra Kumar Jain,
Professor, Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital/Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Opposite Aravind Eye Hospital, Poonamallee High Road, Chennai-600077, Tamil Nadu, India.
E-mail: ravindrakumar@saveetha.com
Clear Aligner Treatment (CAT) is an orthodontic technique used to align teeth with removable and scarcely visible appliances. Conventionally, these are produced through the process of thermoforming. The inherent disadvantages of thermoforming include increased surface roughness leading to plaque accumulation, compromised biomechanics due to a reduction in force delivered and flexure of the aligner, and altered mechanical properties, such as increased opacity, water sorption, and hardness. Direct Three-dimensional (3D)-printed aligners, or Direct Printed Aligners (DPA), introduce a new frontier to aligner technology and are a recent addition to the ever-improving field of orthodontics. Through 3D printing, the various disadvantages of thermoformed aligners like surface roughness, extent and definition of aligner borders, undercuts, and differential thickness of the aligner can be controlled to enhance the accuracy of aligner fit with lesser reliance on attachments. 3D printing of aligners is more environmentally friendly since there is no subtractive process for thermoforming or post-processing of the TA. Various methods of 3D printing, such as selective laser melting, selective laser sintering, Stereolithography (SLA), and Digital Light Processing (DLP), can be applied to the printing of clear aligners. Challenges in printing primarily involve maintaining transparency and designing support during the printing process. The present review aimed to include a detailed description of all aspects of direct 3D-printed aligners.
Clear aligner appliances, Orthodontic appliances, Printing, Removable, Three-dimensional
DOI: 10.7860/JCDR/2024/67084.19279
Date of Submission: Sep 03, 2023
Date of Peer Review: Oct 25, 2023
Date of Acceptance: Feb 02, 2024
Date of Publishing: Apr 01, 2024
AUTHOR DECLARATION:
• Financial or Other Competing Interests: None
• Was informed consent obtained from the subjects involved in the study? NA
• For any images presented appropriate consent has been obtained from the subjects. NA
PLAGIARISM CHECKING METHODS:
• Plagiarism X-checker: Sep 05, 023
• Manual Googling: Oct 29, 2023
• iThenticate Software: Jan 31, 2024 (15%)
ETYMOLOGY: Author Origin
EMENDATIONS: 8
- Emerging Sources Citation Index (Web of Science, thomsonreuters)
- Index Copernicus ICV 2017: 134.54
- Academic Search Complete Database
- Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
- Embase
- EBSCOhost
- Google Scholar
- HINARI Access to Research in Health Programme
- Indian Science Abstracts (ISA)
- Journal seek Database
- Popline (reproductive health literature)
- www.omnimedicalsearch.com