Clear aligners (Invisalign / thermoformed aligners) vs Conventional orthodontic appliance treatment
Salivary caries-associated bacteria (S. mutans and Lactobacilli, subjects with >10^5 CFU/mL) · Orthodontic patients undergoing comprehensive treatment (late mixed or permanent dentition, no active caries)
Both included studies reported higher salivary caries-associated bacteria (S. mutans and Lactobacilli) with fixed appliances than clear aligners; not meta-analyzed (ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
- White spot lesions, plaque accumulation and salivary caries-associated bacteria in clear aligners compared to fixed… 2023 All outcomes3 and 6 months · University/hospital orthodontic clinics and private practice (multiple countries)Not meta-analyzed (insufficient number of studies). Both included observational studies (Mummolo 2020 [19]; Mummolo 2020 [25]) reported a higher number of subjects with S. mutans and Lactobacilli >10^5 CFU/mL in the…2 studiesGRADE not reported