Can clear aligners fix open bite as well as braces?
NCT ID NCT07778108
First seen Aug 21, 2026 · Last updated Aug 21, 2026
Summary
This trial compares two orthodontic treatments for adults with an anterior open bite, a condition where front teeth don't meet. Half the participants will receive clear aligners, and the other half will get traditional braces. The study measures how well each treatment closes the bite and whether the results hold up over time, including a follow-up period after treatment ends.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- In-house clear aligners (PETG) and fixed orthodontic appliances (braces)
- What this could lead to
- If clear aligners prove as effective and stable as braces, they could become a preferred, more comfortable option for treating open bite in adults.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small trial (46 people) and results may not apply to everyone. Clear aligners might not work for all cases, and relapse after treatment is a known risk.
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
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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
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About 46 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Nov 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 30 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: Adult patients aged 18 to 30 years with fully erupted permanent dentition. Anterior open bite equal to or greater than 2 mm. Angle Class I malocclusion. Good oral hygiene and healthy periodontal status. \- Exclusion Criteria: * Previous orthodontic treatment. Presence of craniofacial anomalies or cleft lip/palate. Active periodontal disease or severe bone loss. History of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). Systemic conditions or medications affecting bone metabolism and tooth movement.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Open bite study seeks to measure treatment success and patient burden
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