History of Clear Aligners

 

When you hear the term “clear aligners”, it seems like a new modality of treatment in orthodontics, but this concept is not a new one. The initial concept of aligners dates as far back as the early 20th century. The aligners, though have evolved a lot since the time they came into existence to increase the efficacy of tooth movements.

 

With the rise of the digital age of the 21st century, modern technology has been integrated with these fundamental principles to create a variety of contemporary clear aligner systems that allow for a more comprehensive format of approach to orthodontic treatment.

 

For many centuries, many ancient civilizations had a way of aligning their crooked teeth with a more crude form of braces than the ones used today. Not only straightening teeth, but these braces also had another purpose in the past as they were used as a way of preserving straight teeth among the dead and in the highly revered afterlife. The following materials were used to make braces in the earlier days: catgut, metal, and gold.

 

History of Clear Aligners

Over the years, several breakthroughs have taken place in the history of aligners as they have evolved over the years. From the techniques used to the materials used in making them, everything has changed in the past years. Here is a brief history:

1945: Kesling And His Tooth Positioner

In 1945, a simple device was designed by Kesling to guide teeth into their ideal positions which were intended to correct mild discrepancies. Today, the modern version of this is available at TP orthodontics, Inc. It is a company that was founded by Kesling.

1971: Ponitz Invisible Retainers

Robert John Pointz developed a clear plastic appliance in 1971 to retain orthodontic cases. The ease of fabrication, insertion, and minimum chair side adjustments of this appliance is known to set this a league apart from the ones found by Kesling in 1945.

1986: NASA discovered invisible braces

NASA's Advanced Ceramic Research worked with Ceradyne Inc. and Unitek contacted them in 1986 during their search for transparent material for orthodontic treatment. Ultimately, in 1987, Ceradyne and Unitek worked together and developed the first invisible braces.

1990's: The Worldwide Clear Aligners Revolution

This decade brought a complete revolution to orthodontics and brought us the clear aligners we know today. In 1997, two Stanford University students, Kelsey Wirth and Zia Chishti introduced clear aligners named Invisalign as they combined aligner therapy with 3D imaging technology, which removed the tedious process of manual fabrication.

While the pair had hit upon something truly unique in the 1990s, what was even better was the fact that along with this innovation, computer-based techniques were also used as this was the first time aligners were replicated by using a series of computer-aided models which are known to be taken from just one single impression. This also meant that dentists were required to use their computer systems to treat patients this way.

So over the next few years, their impregnable IP meant that they were able to monopolize the market right out of the gate. When they launched in 1999, Align technology was in an enviable position in that they had zero competition and this remained the case for many years to come.

Today, clear aligners are one of the most used phrases in the world of orthodontists. Aligner services are present across the world now.