$275.000 in research grants to be funded in 2023 as part of its ongoing annual Research Awards Program.
Align Technology believes in enabling research and innovation within the dentistry industry, with a goal of improving orthodontic and dental treatment for communities around the globe.
In 2010, Align Technology began its annual Research Award Program to support clinical and scientific orthodontic and dental research in universities worldwide. Since its inception, approximately $2.7 million has been funded in research awards.
Research has provided insights into various areas including tooth movement efficacy with clear aligner therapy, oral hygiene and microbial bacteria presence or absence with clear aligners, and comparisons in quality of life with aligners as compared to fixed appliances.
In June 2023, Align announced the award of 11 research grants to universities under the company’s 13th annual Research Award Program.
“Align is committed to the advancement of the orthodontic and dental fields, and we are pleased to support university research around the world”, said Dr. Mitra Derakhshan, Align Senior Vice President, Global Clinical. “We are excited to see the findings and future clinical insights about Invisalign® clear aligner treatment and its applicability for a broad range of clinical case types for patients of all ages. Continued research around all aspects of clear aligner treatment will increase awareness within the dental community about the efficacy of clear aligner treatment as compared to traditional appliances.”
“Align is committed to the advancement of the orthodontic and dental fields, and we are pleased to support university research around the world.”
AWARDS
The Americas research award recipients for 2023 are:
- University of Washington (Seattle, USA) – Primary Investigator, Dr Greg Huang.
- University of the Pacific (San Francisco, USA) – Primary Investigator, Dr Heeyeon Suh.
- University of Alberta (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) – Primary Investigator, Dr Camila Pacheco-Pereira.
- Uniderp (Campo Grande-MS, Brazil) – Primary Investigator, Dr Paula Vanessa Pedron Oltramari.
The European research award recipients for 2023 are:
- UniCamillus, International Medical University (Rome, Italy) – Primary Investigator, Dr Roberta Lione.
- Mohammed Bin Rashid University (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) – Primary Investigator, Dr Sabarinath Prasad.
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe University of Frankfurt (Frankfurt, Germany) – Primary Investigator, Dr Babak Sayahpour.
- University of Milan (Milan, Italy) – Primary Investigator, Dr Francesca Gaffuri.
The Asia Pacific research award recipients for 2023 are:
- Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) – Primary Investigator, Dr Hu Long.
- School of Stomatology Wuhan University (Wuhan, China) – Primary Investigator, Dr Sanjie Yeweng.
- Mahidol University (Bangkok, Thailand) – Primary Investigator, Dr Narudol Treethanya.
“Align is proud to support these research studies that have directly impacted advancements in clear aligner treatment.”
“Over the years, it has been rewarding to see the evolution of research projects and the results that have advanced understanding and awareness of the various approaches for the treatment of malocclusion,” said John Morton, Align Vice President, Technical Fellow. “Align is proud to support these research studies that have directly impacted advancements in clear aligner treatment and provided the scientific information that doctors need to interpret the efficacy of Invisalign® clear aligner treatment.”
The 2023 funded research studies will cover a wide range of topics for projects seeking to better understand treatments in orthodontics and dentistry, including:
- ClinCheck® treatment-planning software and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) integration.
- Curve of Wilson in the lower arch using aligners vs fixed appliances.
- Comparing the pre-treatment characteristics, demographics, efficiency and effectiveness, prevalence and extent of white-spot lesions in adolescents treated with aligners vs fixed appliances in an academic setting.
- Comparing the maxillary and mandibular arch changes with aligners vs removable palatal expansion and Schwarz appliances.
- Evaluating the treatment outcomes with clear aligner therapy during mixed dentition in transverse and vertical dimensions.
- Comparing the microhardness values of the resin composite attachments using different light-curing protocols.
- Three-dimensional characteristics of facial soft tissues with Angle Class II malocclusion clinical effectiveness of virtual root and bone model system.
- Orofacial and smile changes with mandibular advancement, precision bite ramps and craniofacial changes induced by maxillary expansion.
All award applications received were first reviewed and prioritised in a blind evaluation by an independent academic committee. The final recipients were then determined by Align Technology.