Do clear aligners protect tooth bone better than braces? a head-to-head trial

NCT ID NCT07716007

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 21, 2026 · Last updated Jul 22, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study compares two popular ways to straighten teeth in adults with mild-to-moderate crowding: clear aligners and traditional fixed braces. The main question is whether the two methods differ in how they affect the bone that surrounds the teeth. Using 3D X-ray scans and digital models, researchers measure bone level and thickness around the lower front teeth before and during treatment. Adults are randomly assigned to receive either clear aligners or braces, and the results are compared over about six months.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to
If clear aligners are found to preserve more bone around teeth than braces, this could help orthodontists choose the best method for straightening teeth while protecting long-term dental health.
What could go wrong
This is a small, short-term study with only 20 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The bone changes measured may not predict long-term dental health.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

20 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Aug 2024

Finished

Apr 2026

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 25 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults 18-25 years of age, of both sexes. * Mild-to-moderate mandibular anterior crowding (2-6 mm). * Angle Class I molar relationship with normal overjet (1-3 mm) and overbite (1-2 mm). * Full permanent dentition with a healthy periodontium. * Normal anteroposterior and vertical skeletal pattern. Exclusion Criteria: * Any local or systemic condition, or trauma, capable of affecting craniofacial growth and development. * History of previous orthodontic or interceptive treatment. * Loss of periodontal attachment. * Craniofacial anomalies, facial asymmetry or skeletal discrepancy.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Alveolar Bone Loss Crowding Malocclusion periodontal disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, Future University in Egypt (Department of Orthodontics)

    Cairo, 11865, Egypt

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