Trial reportThe Angle orthodontist2023
Comparison between clear aligners and 2 × 4 mechanics in the mixed dentition: a randomized clinical trial.
Trial report in The Angle orthodontist, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of clear aligners treatment in growing patients: a systematic review.Frontiers in oral health · 2024Pooled it
- Dento-facial changes and oral health-related quality of life assessment in management of anterior crossbite in mixed dentition: a randomized clinical trial.The Angle orthodontist · 2026Trial
- Comparative Evaluation of Transverse Maxillary Arch Changes in Mixed Dentition with Clear Aligners vs Conventional Maxillary Expanders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.International journal of clinical pediatric dentistry · 2026Article
- Article
- Longitudinal Changes in Occlusal Outcomes and Case Complexity with InvisalignDentistry journal · 2026Article
- Effectiveness of Clear Aligner Therapy in Orthodontic Management for Children with Mixed Dentition: A Scoping Review.International journal of clinical pediatric dentistry · 2025Review
- Effectiveness and Clinical Indications of 2 × 4 Fixed Orthodontic Therapy in Regard to Mixed Dentition: A Systematic Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Seeking orderness out of the orderless movements: an up-to-date review of the biomechanics in clear aligners.Progress in orthodontics · 2024Review
- Review
- Article
- Clear Aligners in the Growing Patient: A Systematic Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Orthodontic aligners: between passion and science.Dental press journal of orthodontics · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesTo compare the efficacy and efficiency between clear aligners and 2 × 4 fixed appliances for correcting maxillary incisor position irregularities in the mixed dentition. MATERIALS AND
methodsThe sample comprised 32 patients from 7 to 11 years of age randomly allocated into two parallel treatment groups: the clear aligners group, 14 patients (6 girls, 8 boys) with a mean initial age of 9.33 years (standard deviation [SD] = 1.01) treated with clear aligners; and the fixed appliances group, 13 patients (9 girls, 4 boys) with a mean initial age of 9.65 years (SD = 0.80) treated with partial (2 × 4) fixed appliances. Digital models were acquired before treatment and after appliance removal. Primary outcomes were incisor irregularity index and treatment time. Secondary outcomes were arch width, perimeter, length, size and shape, incisor leveling, incisor mesiodistal angulation, plaque index, and white spot lesion formation (International Caries Detection and Assessment System index). Intergroup comparisons were evaluated using t-tests or Mann-Whitney U-tests with Holm-Bonferroni correction (P < .05).
resultsTreatment time was approximately 8 months in both groups. No intergroup differences were observed for changes in any of the variables. Similar posttreatment arch shapes were observed in both groups.
conclusionsClear aligners and 2 × 4 mechanics displayed similar efficacy and efficiency for maxillary incisor position corrections in the mixed dentition. The choice of appliance should be guided by clinician and family preference.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.