Smart Materials In Orthodontics : A Futuristic Approach

Introduction The importance of a well-coordinated
interaction of orthodontists with
biomedical engineers for the production
of many customised orthodontic appli-
1 ances has been underappreciated . Usually,
the bio-medical engineers, hired by many
orthodontic appliance manufacturing companies,
develop the appliances, overlooking
the day-to-day clinical difficulties faced by
2 the orthodontists in their busy practices .
Innovations are the need of the hour which
could address a critical clinical concern; for
example, a material that has easy handling
characteristics and shortens chair side time
or one that significantly improves the quality
of treatment by addressing important variables
such as treatment, duration and cost.
The aim of this review is to describe the current
trends and innovations of biomedical
materials and their implications in orthodo-
3,4 ntic science .