Clear Aligners in Pediatric Dentistry: A Scoping Review

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 16; no. 4; p. e58992
• Main Authors: Chandra, Aakriti, Thosar, Nilima R, Parakh, Himani
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 25-04-2024
• Subjects: Aesthetics; Children & youth; Clinical outcomes; Dentistry; Intervention; Orthodontics; Pediatrics; Polyethylene terephthalate; Software; Teeth; mixed dentition; orthodontic treatment; clear aligner; esthetic correction; pediatric dentistry
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58992

Today not just adults but also children are affected by their looks and appearance. Their facial and dental appearance primarily influence how they present themselves in the outside world. Poor esthetic appearance at any age, especially when it comes to children, affects their psychological status. In earlier times, correction of dentition used to be done with crude methods, after which came the concept of braces, which were fixed on the labial surfaces. Even with these, the patients are equally concerned with their looks throughout the treatment, and thus neither adults nor children are eager to use the standard metallic-looking orthodontic gear. To tackle this problem, researchers have developed several solutions, and clear aligners are the modern and aesthetic answer. For effective tooth movement into the desired position, thin, transparent, plastic aligners known as invisible aligners are used, which are created using the computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technology. These aligners are analogous to the splints that cover the clinical crowns as well as the marginal gingiva. The treatment requires proper patient motivation as there can be poor compliance by patients. However, it can offer greater dental hygiene, comfort, and an excellent aesthetic experience during treatment. This review highlights the history of fabrication of clear aligners, examining the efficacy, advantages, and disadvantages of transparent aligners for pediatric patients and also dentists. It weighs aspects like aesthetic appeal, comfort, oral hygiene, treatment predictability, and practice efficiency when comparing transparent aligners, like Invisalign, to conventional orthodontic treatments. It also ascertains the applicability and worth of clear aligners in contemporary orthodontic practice, while examining patient happiness, compliance, and overall treatment results.