Clear Aligners With Two Different Change Schedules vs Traditional Braces for People With Crowded Lower Front Teeth

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The goal of this clinical trial was to compare two clear aligner treatment plans with traditional braces for treating crowded lower front teeth in adults. Clear aligners were removable plastic trays. Traditional braces were metal brackets and wires. The main questions the study aimed to answer were: How fast did the teeth move? How long did treatment take? How much pain did participants feel? Researchers studied 21 adults aged 18 to 40 years. The adults had mild to moderate crowding of the lower front teeth. They did not have teeth removed for treatment. Researchers assigned participants by chance to one of three groups: Aligner I: clear aligners that moved teeth 0.25 mm per step. Aligner II: clear aligners that moved teeth 0.35 mm per step. Control: traditional braces. Participants: Wore clear aligners for 22 hours a day and changed to a new aligner every 2 weeks, or wore traditional braces that were adjusted every month. Visited the clinic for checkups, tooth scans, and pain checks. Were treated for up to 20 weeks. Researchers measured crowding with a score that showed how crooked the lower front teeth were. They recorded how many weeks treatment took. They asked participants to rate pain on a 0 to 10 scale. A score of 0 meant no pain. A score of 10 meant the worst pain. Researchers found that all three treatments straightened the teeth. Traditional braces worked fastest. The typical participant in the braces group finished in 10 weeks. The typical participant in Aligner II finished in 12 weeks. The typical participant in Aligner I finished in 16 weeks. Pain changed over time in all groups. Clear aligners were not always more comfortable than braces. At weeks 8 and 10, both aligner groups reported more pain than the braces group.