ArticleFrontiers in dental medicine2026
Effect of 3D-printed model base height on thickness distribution of thermoformed zendura FLX dual-layer clear aligners: an
Article in Frontiers in dental medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Background: Thermoforming of clear aligners causes non-uniform material thinning that may influence the structural and mechanical characteristics of the aligners. While greater model base height (MBH) has been shown to increase thinning in single-layer aligners, its effect on dual-layer materials remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of four MBH levels (2, 4, 6, and 8 mm) on the thickness distribution of thermoformed Zendura FLX dual-layer clear aligners. Methods: Forty Zendura FLX aligners were thermoformed over standardized 3D-printed maxillary models with MBH of 2, 4, 6, and 8 mm ( Results: EMM thickness decreased progressively with increasing MBH: 446 µm (95% CI 432-460) at MBH 2 mm, 386 µm (95% CI 374-399) at MBH 4 mm, 329 µm (95% CI 319-340) at MBH 6 mm, and 268 µm (95% CI 260-277) at MBH 8 mm (all pairwise comparisons Conclusions: Increasing MBH resulted in a progressive reduction in the thickness of thermoformed Zendura FLX dual-layer clear aligners across all tooth types and measurement sites. Among the four levels tested, an MBH of approximately 4 mm appeared to provide a more balanced thickness distribution. These findings suggest that MBH should be considered as an important fabrication parameter in clear aligner production.
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