Align Technology has awarded $220,000 in scientific research funding for projects seeking to better understand orthodontic treatment with clear aligners.
The company gave $160,000 in new funding to four universities in North America and four universities internationally, as well as $60,000 in renewals for existing research projects. All proposals were reviewed and prioritized by an independent academic committee.
The eight new study proposals approved for funding are listed below:
- An evaluation of the enamel width at the contact points of the permanent dentition in association with interproximal reduction
- An analysis of specific tooth movements in teenagers treated with Invisalign aligners
- An analysis of canine rotations treated with Invisalign aligners
- A study on oral hygiene levels and the quality of bacterial plaque during orthodontic treatment
- An evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of clear aligner treatment in Class I moderate crowding malocclusions
- A risk-factor study to identify potential biomarkers for caries and periodontal disease in orthodontic patients
- A finite-element analysis evaluation of tooth movement with clear aligners
- An evaluation of the accuracy and reproducibility of orthodontic measurements using the iOC intraoral scanner
The 2013 Align Research Award Program details will be announced later this year.
