Design and manufacturing of patient-specific orthodontic appliances by computer-aided engineering techniques

Authors and full affiliations: Sandro Barone, Paolo Neri, Alessandro Paoli, Armando Viviano Razionale

Keywords: Orthodontics, eruption guidance appliance, temporomandibular joint

Purpose: digitalization of several steps of the overall process: from the digital reconstruction of patients’ anatomies to the manufacturing of customized appliances.

Design/methodology/approach: A finite element model has been developed to evaluate the temporomandibular joint disks stress level caused by using symmetric eruption guidance appliances with different teeth misalignment conditions

Findings: The obtained results demonstrate that standard symmetric implants, which are not customized for the patient-specific anatomy, present critical issues when applied to generic asymmetric anatomie, instead the creation of tailor-made systems would create fewer problems and greater adaptability.

Limitations: The relative placement between maxilla and mandible has a significant influence on the overall patient health

Benefits: low-cost manufacturing process

Practical implications: Improved patient life and lower production costs

Originality/value: Better ergonomics of dental implants thanks to the creation of specific models for each patient created with 3D-CAD and AM.

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Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0954411917742945