Braces vs. aligners: which moves back teeth better?
NCT ID NCT07714603
First seen Jul 20, 2026 · Last updated Jul 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares three ways to move upper back teeth backward to create space for crowded or protruding teeth: traditional fixed braces (Pitts21 system), Invisalign clear aligners, and ClearCorrect clear aligners. All methods use small temporary screws placed in the cheekbone for extra support. The study measures how much the teeth move, how long it takes, and how comfortable each method is for patients aged 13 to 18.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- orthodontic appliances (fixed braces, Invisalign clear aligners, ClearCorrect clear aligners) used with infrazygomatic crest miniscrews
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could help orthodontists choose the most effective and efficient method for moving back teeth to correct crowding or overbite.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-center study with only 37 participants, so results may not apply to all patients. Individual responses to treatment can vary.
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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37 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jun 2024
- Finished
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Feb 2026
- 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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13 to 18 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: * Skeletal Class I (ANB angle 0-4°), dental Class II malocclusion treatable with molar distalization * Need for unilateral or bilateral distalization of the first molars in the range of 2-4.5 mm * Chronological age between 13 and 18 years, regardless of skeletal age * Normal or hypodivergent growth pattern (SN-GoGn \< 39°) * Mild to moderate maxillary crowding (less than 6 mm) and minimal or no mandibular crowding (less than 3 mm) * No previously extracted maxillary teeth, excluding third molars * Erupted permanent second molars * Good oral hygiene * Healthy periodontal tissues Exclusion Criteria: * Need for orthodontic tooth extraction or functional appliance therapy * Presence of systemic disease * Congenital or acquired craniofacial deformity involving the condyle or mandible * Poor patient cooperation * History of allergy to any metal * Pre-existing root resorption prior to treatment * Previous orthodontic treatment * Abnormal position, depth of impaction, or close proximity to adjacent anatomical structures (sinus, neurovascular structures) of the maxillary third molar that would make its surgical extraction risky
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Erciyes University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics
Kayseri, 38000, Turkey (Türkiye)