APPLICATION OF DENT@LIGN DIGITAL ALIGNERS FOR CORRECTION OF CROWDING

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze the possibilities for correction of the crowding in the upper and lower dental arch with DENT@LIGN digital aligners. Materials and Methods: DENT@LIGN digital aligners (DLN) were applied for correction of the crowding in 127 patients, 69 of whom were treated in both jaws, 36–only in the upper and 22 –only in the lower. A complete orthodontic analysis of the patients before and after treatment was made. The patients were divided into four groups: without crowding; with mild crowding- up to 3 mm; with moderate crowding –– from 3.1 to 7.0 mm; with severe crowding - over 7.1 mm arch length deficiency. The DLN are applied into steps with optimal wearing of18-21 hours a day. Each step has to be worn for one month and consists of 3 aligners: soft (0.55 mm), medium (0.625 mm) and hard (0.75 mm). The results were statistically processed. Results: In the upper dental arch, the percentage of patients without crowding increased significantly after the treatment with DLN from 35% (N = 33) to 92.5% (N = 86). In the lower dental arch, the percentage of patients without crowding increased from 21% (N = 13) to 91.5% (N = 75). Conclusion: DENT@LIGN digital aligners are a successful and effective method for treatment of crowding in patients of all ages.