Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42589838›Full record

ArticlePolymers2026

Does Thermoforming Setup Affect Thickness in Thermoplastic Orthodontic Appliances? A Comparison of Single vs. Dual-Model Fabrication.

Ferdi Allaf, Meriç Arslan, Mustafa Özcan, Buket Erdem

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Polymers, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Ferdi AllafDepartment of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Health and Technology University, Istanbul 34445, Türkiye.
Meriç ArslanDepartment of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Health and Technology University, Istanbul 34445, Türkiye.ORCID 0009-0004-4992-4092
Mustafa ÖzcanDepartment of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Health and Technology University, Istanbul 34445, Türkiye.ORCID 0009-0008-8331-9493
Buket ErdemDepartment of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Health and Technology University, Istanbul 34445, Türkiye.ORCID 0009-0004-6316-6072

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Thermoforming remains the predominant fabrication route for clear thermoplastic orthodontic appliances, yet it reduces and redistributes sheet thickness, which governs force delivered to teeth. Simultaneous thermoforming of two models may reduce fabrication time and material waste; however, its effect on final appliance thickness has not been evaluated. This in vitro study compared appliance thickness after thermoforming over a single model or two models simultaneously, using ten commercial aligner brands with different polymer composition and initial thickness. Thickness was measured with a digital caliper at anterior, canine and posterior sites, and analyzed using three-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc tests. A significant three-way interaction (measurement point × number of models × brand;

Indexed as

aligner thicknessclear alignerPET-Gthermoformingthermoplastic

Identifiers

PMID42589838
PMCPMC13467850

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.