Foreword

Clear aligner therapy is one of the exciting new techniques being used in orthodontics since it was introduced in the late 1990s by Align Technology in the United States. Recently, other companies have come out with products that use a similar principle, but incorporate a different technology and use different materials. Aligner treatment was initially introduced to treat limited malocclusion and/or relapsed cases.

In recent years, there have been a number of articles about the use of clear aligners in a broader spectrum of orthodontic cases than just simple crowding or relapse cases. These publications and presentations focus more on treatment outcomes than on the related diagnosis process, treatment planning and biomechanics.

Understanding three-dimensional diagnosis and treatment planning as well as biomechanics of tooth movement are very important to clinicians who may use clear aligners to treat difficult orthodontic cases. This book outlines basic principles for using clear aligners to address various difficult orthodontic cases.