Alkhamees Amani
Department of Orthodontics and Pediatrics Dentistry, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.
J Orthod Sci. 2024 Nov 25;13:55. doi: 10.4103/jos.jos_211_23. eCollection 2024.
The era of printed aligners has just began in the orthodontic field. Orthodontists have become more interested in 3D-printed in-office aligners. Treatment due to this technology can become faster and more efficient. Advantages highlighted by newly introduced materials for manufacturing processes of 3D aligners present the possibility of overcoming limitations faced by thermoformed aligners, making them a potential replacement of thermoformed aligner. Advances in aligner material, especially shape memory polymers, have the potential to bring about radical transformations in the clinical applications of clear aligner therapy. Safety and cytotoxicity of printable resins along with its mechanical properties must be scientifically studied extensively before it is cleared for clinical use. In addition, with the increased use of aligners, awareness of the environmental burden of plastic waste should be emphasized. Attention should be directed into the development of recyclable materials for aligners along with establishing clear recycling guidelines and patient education programs on proper recycling methods. With the introduction of Graphy's clear biocompatible photocurable resin, which is equipped with a shape-memory function and is printed in an environmental friendly way by reducing carbon emissions. Direct 3D printing represents the future of clear aligner therapy, and more studies to test these new technologies and materials are required.
正畸领域中打印式矫治器的时代刚刚开启。正畸医生对3D打印的诊室用矫治器兴趣日增。借助这项技术进行治疗可以变得更快且更高效。新引入的用于3D矫治器制造工艺的材料所凸显的优势，展现了克服热成型矫治器所面临局限性的可能性，使其成为热成型矫治器的潜在替代品。矫治器材料的进步，尤其是形状记忆聚合物，有可能给透明矫治器疗法的临床应用带来根本性变革。在可打印树脂被批准用于临床之前，必须对其安全性、细胞毒性及其机械性能进行广泛的科学研究。此外，随着矫治器使用的增加，应强调对塑料垃圾环境负担的认识。应关注可回收矫治器材料的开发，同时制定明确的回收指南以及关于正确回收方法的患者教育计划。随着具备形状记忆功能且通过减少碳排放以环保方式打印的Graphy透明生物相容性光固化树脂的推出，直接3D打印代表了透明矫治器疗法的未来，还需要更多研究来测试这些新技术和材料。
