For decades, braces have followed a pretty simple formula. Manufacturers make millions of identical brackets, orthodontists bond them to patients’ teeth, and then spend months making adjustments to get each smile exactly where it needs to be. According to orthodontist and early LightForce advisor Dr. Bryan Lockhart, that process has remained largely unchanged because the brackets themselves were never designed for the individual patient.
“Historically, it didn’t matter who the patient was. Two patients could have completely different teeth, but they would get the exact same bracket,” Lockhart told 3DPrint.com. “That meant much of an orthodontist’s work happened after the braces were already in place. As teeth gradually straightened, doctors often had to reposition brackets, bend wires, and make other adjustments to fine-tune the final result. Now, companies like LightForce are trying to change that by turning every bracket into a custom-made medical device.”
Instead of manufacturing one standard design, the company creates a unique bracket for every tooth of every patient using digital treatment planning and metal or ceramic 3D printing.
“It’s really moving from an average prescription to a personalized prescription for every patient,” Lockhart said.
LightBracket. Image courtesy of LightForce.
A Digital Workflow From Day One
The process begins with a digital scan taken at the orthodontist’s office. LightForce accepts scans from virtually any major intraoral scanner, allowing practices to keep the equipment they already use.
After receiving the scan, the company creates a digital treatment plan that shows how each tooth should move throughout treatment. Orthodontists then review the plan, make any adjustments based on their own preferences, and approve it. Only then does manufacturing begin.
Rather than producing a box of identical brackets, LightForce manufactures a complete set designed specifically for that patient’s teeth. The approach changes more than manufacturing. According to Lockhart, it also changes how treatment progresses.
Dr. Bryan Lockhart. Image courtesy of LightForce.
“Instead of relying on repeated bracket repositioning and wire bending near the end of treatment, much of that planning is built into the customized brackets from the start. When we finish the initial alignment, we don’t have to do all of those tricks we traditionally used,” he said. “The details have already been built into the treatment plan. For patients, that can mean fewer appointments and shorter overall treatment times.”
Lockhart adds that customized brackets also reduce the time patients spend in the chair because all brackets can be bonded to the teeth at the same time using a custom tray, rather than placing each bracket individually.
Manufacturing Millions of Different Parts
While traditional manufacturing is designed to produce identical parts, LightForce’s production
For decades, braces have followed a pretty simple formula. Manufacturers make millions of identical brackets, orthodontists bond them to patients’ teeth, and then spend months making adjustments to get each smile exactly where it needs to be. According to orthodontist and early LightForce advisor Dr. Bryan Lockhart, that process has remained largely unchanged because the brackets themselves were never designed for the individual patient.
“Historically, it didn’t matter who the patient was. Two patients could have completely different teeth, but they would get the exact same bracket,” Lockhart told 3DPrint.com. “That meant much of an orthodontist’s work happened after the braces were already in place. As teeth gradually straightened, doctors often had to reposition brackets, bend wires, and make other adjustments to fine-tune the final result. Now, companies like LightForce are trying to change that by turning every bracket into a custom-made medical device.”
Instead of manufacturing one standard design, the company creates a unique bracket for every tooth of every patient using digital treatment planning and metal or ceramic 3D printing.
“It’s really moving from an average prescription to a personalized prescription for every patient,” Lockhart said.
LightBracket. Image courtesy of LightForce.
A Digital Workflow From Day One
The process begins with a digital scan taken at the orthodontist’s office. LightForce accepts scans from virtually any major intraoral scanner, allowing practices to keep the equipment they already use.
After receiving the scan, the company creates a digital treatment plan that shows how each tooth should move throughout treatment. Orthodontists then review the plan, make any adjustments based on their own preferences, and approve it. Only then does manufacturing begin.
Rather than producing a box of identical brackets, LightForce manufactures a complete set designed specifically for that patient’s teeth. The approach changes more than manufacturing. According to Lockhart, it also changes how treatment progresses.
Dr. Bryan Lockhart. Image courtesy of LightForce.
“Instead of relying on repeated bracket repositioning and wire bending near the end of treatment, much of that planning is built into the customized brackets from the start. When we finish the initial alignment, we don’t have to do all of those tricks we traditionally used,” he said. “The details have already been built into the treatment plan. For patients, that can mean fewer appointments and shorter overall treatment times.”
Lockhart adds that customized brackets also reduce the time patients spend in the chair because all brackets can be bonded to the teeth at the same time using a custom tray, rather than placing each bracket individually.
Manufacturing Millions of Different Parts
While traditional manufacturing is designed to produce identical parts, LightForce’s production