ArticleClinical oral investigations2025
Effects of cleaning protocols on surface roughness and optical properties of thermoplastic orthodontic retainers.
Article in Clinical oral investigations, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Impact of common cleaning protocols on the surface integrity and nanoscale topography of PET-G clear aligners: an AFM and profilometric study.BMC oral health · 2026Article
- Article
- Effects of cleaning methods on the removal efficacy of Streptococcus mutans biofilm and material properties of thermoplastic aligner materials.BMC oral health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTo investigate the impact of three commonly used cleaning methods-mechanical cleaning, chemical cleaning, and ultrasonic cleaning-on the optical transmittance and surface roughness of thermoplastic orthodontic retainers following coffee-induced staining. MATERIALS AND
methodsStandardized thermoplastic specimens were assigned to five groups (n = 10): an unstained control group, a coffee-stained group without cleaning, and three post-staining cleaning groups treated with either mechanical cleaning, chemical cleaning using Polident tablets, or ultrasonic cleaning. Optical transmittance was measured using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry. Surface roughness parameters (Ra, Rz, RSm) were analyzed via surface profilometer, and surface morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
resultsCoffee staining significantly reduced transmittance and increased surface roughness, indicating adverse effects on both optical transmittance and microstructural integrity. Ultrasonic cleaning effectively restored transmittance and surface integrity to near-control levels, with minimal surface damage. Mechanical cleaning successfully removed surface stains but introduced linear abrasions and led to a significant decrease in RSm values. Chemical cleaning achieved moderate stain removal but left visible surface residues.
conclusionsAmong the cleaning protocols evaluated, ultrasonic cleaning demonstrated superior performance in stain removal and preservation of surface integrity. Mechanical cleaning was effective but caused surface wear, while chemical cleaning offered limited cleaning efficacy and left undesirable deposits. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Cleaning strategies for orthodontic retainers should balance stain removal efficiency with material preservation. Ultrasonic cleaning provides a clinically favorable option, offering effective cleaning with minimal adverse effects on surface characteristics.
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Registered trials
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