Is There Really A Consensus On Aligners? A Delphi Author Explains| Orthodontics In Interview | VINCENZO D’ANTO

11 months ago

Hosted by

Farooq Ahmed

“Even though the panelists were huge aligner users, the statements are not so in favour of aligners, they are surprisingly reasonable.”

“It’s very difficult to find a real aligner experts without a conflict of interest. Almost impossible.”

“If you explain the differences honestly, most of my extraction patients choose fixed appliances. I’m not selling aligners.”

“Direct printing is the real breakthrough, but right now it has too many shortcomings to be a standard technology.”

“I am pessimistic. We must fight for our profession — against the idea that technology can replace orthodontists.”

In this episode, I’m joined by Vincenzo D’Antò, lead author and contributing author of this year’s two major consensus statements on clear aligners. We explore the key findings from these landmark papers and how they translate into real-world clinical practice. Vincenzo shares his own views on aligners, their limitations, and his pragmatic approach to integrating hybrid mechanics, particularly skeletal anchorage, into aligner treatment. We discuss recent innovations in aligner therapy, distinguishing those with genuine clinical value from those that are ineffective. We also hear Vincenzo’s candid concerns about the future of orthodontics.

Timestamps of Key Questions & Answers

03:00 – Why did you create this Delphi aligner consensus?
05:03 – How were the aligner experts selected for the study?
06:51 – Do conflicts of interest affect aligner consensus statements?
11:49 – Crowding: Why does the Alharfi 2025 SR show better outcomes for aligners?
15:49 – 7 vs 10 vs 14 days: How often should patients change aligners?
20:03 – Are complex movement failures a design flaw or inherent to aligners?
22:19 – What truly limits clear aligner biomechanics?
25:46 – Is hybrid orthodontics the future of predictable aligner treatment?
29:35 – What hybrid mechanics do you use most in practice?
32:05 – Can we reliably treat extraction cases with aligners?
36:03 – Is better OHRQoL worth compromised occlusal outcomes?
39:11 – Do aligners work for growing patients, or is this just marketing?
41:34 – Why is high-quality aligner research still so weak?
44:30 – Final advice: What should orthodontists focus on for the future?