Malocclusion is one of the most prevalent clinical conditions. While most individuals seek orthodontic treatment to improve their appearance, malocclusion may also be responsible for various dental problems such as tooth decay, tooth loss, gum disease, jaw joint pain and headaches. The only option available for correction of malocclusion till now was traditional orthodontic treatment i.e. braces. Although braces are generally effective in correcting a wide range of malocclusions, they are subject to many limitations and disadvantages like unattractive appearance, discomfort, frequent lacerations, poor oral hygiene etc. Due to these limitations of braces, only a relatively small proportion of people with malocclusion seek traditional orthodontic treatment thereby creating a large need gap. Invisible aligners were incorporated to cater to this large unmet need for an orthodontic system that addresses these patient concerns and also there is an unmet need among dental professionals for a treatment modality that increases the predictability and efciency of treatment and enhances protability of practice also.
Keywords
- Buttke, T.M. and Proft, W.R.: Referring adult patients for orthodontic treatment, J. Am. Dent. Assoc. 130:73-79, 1999.
- Gottlieb E. By the numbers. J ClinOrthod 1999;33:278-81.
- Buttke TM, Proft WR. Referring adult patients for orthodontic treatment. J Am Dent Assoc 1999;130:73-9.
- Sergl HG, Klages U, Zentner A. Pain and discomfort during orthodontic treatment: causative factors and effects on compliance. Am J OrthodDentofacialOrthop 1998;114:684-91.
- Boyd RL, Vlaskalic V. Three-dimensional diagnosis and orthodontic treatment of complex malocclusions with the Invisalign® Appliance. SeminOrthod 2001;7:232-58.
- Kesling HD. The philosophy of tooth positioning appliance. Am J Orthod1945; 31:297–304.
- Ponitz RJ. Invisible retainers. Am J Orthod1971; 59(3):266–72.3.
- Sheridan JJ, LeDoux W, McMinn R. Essix retainers: fabrication and supervision for permanent retention. J ClinOrthod1993; 27(1):37–45.