Clinical efficacy of the Invisalign mandibular advancement appliance: A retrospective investigation.

INTRODUCTION

This retrospective investigation aimed to determine whether the achieved changes in the treatment of Class II malocclusion were the same as those planned after the prescribed wear of an initial phase of Invisalign treatment with the mandibular advancement appliance (MAA) (Align Technology, Santa Jose, Calif).

METHODS

All patients treated with the MAA and who satisfied inclusion/exclusion criteria were selected from a database of 16,500 patients treated with clear aligners by 16 orthodontists. The pretreatment, planned, and achieved overjet measurements were documented from data provided in Align Technology's software facility, ClinCheck. Changes in intermaxillary anteroposterior (AP) first permanent molar (FPM) relationships were evaluated using Geomagic Control X (3D systems, Rock Hill, SC) metrology software.

RESULTS

Most of the 195 patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria were females (n = 104; 53.3%). The mean age was 12.62 ± 2.20 years. The pretreatment overjet was reduced from 6.49 ± 2.86 mm to 4.61 ± 2.22 mm after prescribed MAA wear, which was 42.5% of the planned outcome. The pretreatment AP FPM reduced from 3.14 ± 1.95 mm to 2.24 ± 2.51 mm, which was 31.3% of that planned. Thirty-eight (19.5%) patients experienced an increase in overjet where a reduction was planned.

CONCLUSIONS

Less than half of the planned overjet reduction and less than a third of the planned AP FPM correction were achieved with the MAA. Almost 20% of patients completed the MAA phase of treatment with an increased overjet despite a reduction being planned.