This chapter will briefly discuss the science behind using clear aligners in
orthodontics. Although fabricating aligners can be made by hand in the lab or using
computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing system, the science behind using
specific plastic material that has specific elasticity to move the teeth in the intended
direction is still unclear and many manufacturers do not declare it as a major
manufacturing or business secret. In a simple assumption, the clear aligner materials
must be flexible enough to accommodate the existing tooth/teeth position and be stiff
enough to move the teeth in the intended direction. Although seems simple, however it
took major companies decades spending many millions of dollars on research and
development to reach this particular balance. In the following section, a general review
of what is available in the literature about clear aligners’ materials is provided.
Keywords: Aligners, Basic science, Bio, CAD/CAM, Clear, Effectiveness,
Materials, Orthodontics, Piezoelectricity, System.
