Development of Force Based Orthodontic Appliances

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed project will develop a series of new orthodontic appliances using a patented technology. Using the appliances, clinicians will be able to quantify and manipulate the orthodontic force systems, which are not feasible at present. The ability to control the force system is essential for the advancement of orthodontical treatment. It enables the orthodontic community to optimize the appliance design and better understand orthodontic tooth movement because tooth moves in response to the orthodontic force system. Phase I of this project includes refining of the novel technology, evaluating existing appliances, establishing design parameters, and developing manufacturing process and capability for the new series of orthodontic appliances. Phase II of the project will design a series of optimal orthodontic appliances based on the clinical force requirements for three types of typical clinical cases. The products will be critically validated clinically for demonstrating their advantages. In the Phase III, the new products will be commercialized to benefit the orthodontics profession. The potential beneficiaries of the project are orthodontists in private practice, manufacturers who develop orthodontic appliances, graduate orthodontics programs that train orthodontists and researchers who study tooth movement and underlying mechanisms.