ArticlePolymers2025
The Effectiveness of Different Cleaning Methods for Clear Orthodontic Aligners: Impacts on Physical, Mechanical, and Chemical Properties-An In Vivo Study.
Article in Polymers, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 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
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Ageing effects on chemical, physical, mechanical, and morphological properties of clear aligners - a systematic review.Progress in orthodontics · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of clear aligner cleaning agents on Streptococcus mutans biofilms and thermoplastic surface integrity: an in vitro study.Odontology · 2026Article
- Effect of Staining and Cleaning Agents on the Colour Stability and Surface Roughness of Clear Aligners.Orthodontics & craniofacial research · 2026Article
- Effectiveness of cleaning methods for clear aligners stained with pediatric iron and multivitamin syrups.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Article
- Color improvement and stability of orthodontic clear aligners following different cleaning protocols.Clinical oral investigations · 2026Article
- Effects of cleaning methods on the removal efficacy of Streptococcus mutans biofilm and material properties of thermoplastic aligner materials.BMC oral health · 2026Article
- In Vitro Evaluation of Biofilm Formation by Oral Microorganisms on Clear Aligner Materials: Influence of Mouthwash Exposure.Journal of functional biomaterials · 2025Article
- Mechanical properties of thermoformed and 3D-printed aligners after cleansing solution exposure: AnBioinformation · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Maintaining the cleanliness of orthodontic aligners is crucial for oral hygiene and preserving the optical properties of aligners. In this randomized clinical trial, we compared the effectiveness of different cleaning methods for the maintenance of Invisalign clear aligners. Twelve adult patients received five aligners, each worn for 10 days. The aligners were divided based on the cleaning method: tooth brushing with whitening toothpaste, vinegar, Fittydent Super Cleansing Tablets, Invisalign cleaning crystals, and only water. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to detect surface morphology changes; color changes (ΔE) were evaluated using a spectrophotometer. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) with a diamond hemisphere was used to study the aligners' chemical compositions. Nanoindentation testing was used to assess changes in the elastic modulus. SEM confirmed the effectiveness of Invisalign cleaning crystals in maintaining cleanliness, revealing a surface similar to that of the control group with no adverse effects. Color stability analysis revealed significant ΔE value differences; whitening toothpaste had significantly lower ΔE values than water and Invisalign cleaning crystals. The elastic modulus and FTIR analyses indicated no significant differences between the cleaning methods. Therefore, Invisalign cleaning crystals and whitening toothpaste are safe for aligner maintenance, showing successful and aesthetically pleasing results.
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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.