Could dentists print your aligners in the office? new trial tests speed and quality
NCT ID NCT07687329
First seen Jul 07, 2026 · Last updated Jul 08, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial compares three ways to straighten mildly crowded teeth: clear aligners 3D-printed directly in the dentist's office, aligners made by printing a model and then forming plastic over it, and traditional metal braces. Thirty-six people aged 12 to 30 with mild crowding and no need for tooth extractions took part. The study measures how well each method works and how long treatment takes, using a standard scoring system for tooth alignment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Clear aligners (direct 3D-printed or indirect thermoformed) and fixed metal braces
- What this could lead to
- If successful, in-house 3D-printed aligners could offer a faster, cheaper, and equally effective alternative to traditional braces for mild crowding.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-center trial with only 36 participants, so results may not apply broadly. 3D-printed aligners are new and may not match the precision of commercial lab aligners or braces.
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
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36 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Feb 2024
- Finished
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Mar 2025
- 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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12 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: * Presence of permanent dentition (no primary teeth remaining) * Non-extraction orthodontic treatment plan * Age between 12 and 30 years * Mild to moderate dental crowding (0-6 mm) * Skeletal Class I classification (ANB: 2±2°) * Normal vertical growth direction (Sn-GoGn: 32±6°) * No congenital tooth agenesis (excluding third molars) * No atypical tooth shapes * No extracted permanent teeth * No dental caries * Good oral hygiene * Healthy periodontal tissues Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of craniofacial anomalies * Systemic disease or condition * Previous fixed orthodontic treatment * History of allergy to dental materials * History of xerostomia
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Erciyes University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics
Kayseri, Melikgazi, Turkey (Türkiye)
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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