Events
EOS 2026 Aligners and Braces Debate
Roadmap to best practice: Aligners and braces across theory, evidence and clinical reality
Session Information
Aligners or braces?
Both are integral to contemporary orthodontics. Both are supported by evidence.
Yet fundamental questions remain:
- Do aligners and fixed appliances truly differ in their biomechanics and biological effects?
- Are their clinical outcomes comparable across all treatment dimensions?
- And when we choose one system over the other, are we guided by evidence, experience — or assumption?
These questions will be explored in this 90-minute webinar debate, designed to bring together theoretical insight, clinical reality, and critical appraisal of the evidence, with the aim of moving towards practical, best-practice guidance grounded in science and real-world orthodontic care.
A panel of internationally recognised experts will address the topic from four complementary viewpoints:
Theoretical foundations
Vincenzo D’Antò (Italy) will examine what distinguishes aligners and fixed appliances in terms of design, biomechanics, force systems, and biological response — and at which mechanical, biological, and clinical levels these systems truly diverge.
Clinical perspective: fixed appliances
Ute Schneider-Moser (Italy) will discuss why braces remain her preferred choice in many patients, the clinical situations in which fixed appliances may outperform aligners, and the limitations of aligner systems in everyday practice.
Clinical perspective: aligner therapy
Thor Henrikson (Sweden) will outline why aligners play a central role in his clinical approach, where they may offer clear advantages over braces, and which limitations of fixed appliances influence treatment planning.
Evidence and technology assessment
Dalya Al Moghrabi (Saudi Arabia) will explore how orthodontic treatment approaches can be compared holistically, examining the current evidence on the effectiveness of aligners versus fixed appliances across key treatment outcomes. She will also consider which treatment modality may be superior from the patient’s perspective, including aspects such as experience, expectations and perceived value.
The session qualifies for 2 Continuing Professional Development credits (CPD).
Moderator
Maria Cadenas
KU Leuven University, Belgium
Maria is Assistant Professor at the section of Orthodontics of the Department of Oral Health Sciences of KU Leuven University, Belgium, where she is involved in postgraduate training and is responsible of the orthodontic research output. Her research interests are Biology of Tooth Movement, Root resorption, Tooth Transplantation and Cleft Lip and Palate. She has worked as a clinical orthodontist since 2012, mainly on patients with Cleft lip and Palate, Craniofacial syndromes, multiple congenitally missing teeth, enamel and dentin abnormalities and dental trauma.
She also coordinates the international relations of the school of Dentistry of KU Leuven and is Councillor of the Orthodontic Research Group (ORG) of the International Association of Dental Research (IADR), member of European Orthodontic Society (EOS) and the Digital Taskforce of the Network of Erasmus Based European Orthodontic Programs (NEBEOP), where she leads the development of the NEBEOP Web Academy, and online platform for postgraduate teaching in orthodontics.
Speakers
Vincenzo D’Antò
School of Orthodontics of University of Naples Federico II.
Dr. Vincenzo D’Antò received his Degree in Dentistry, a Specialty in Orthodontics, a Master in Temporomandibular Disorders and a Master in Lingual Orthodontics from the University of Naples Federico II and a Master in Sleep Dentistry from University of Bologna. He completed a PhD in “Materials and Structures Engineering” and a second PhD in “Oral Sciences”. In 2017, Dr. D’Antò received the Italian national scientific qualification as full professor of Oral Sciences and He is currently working as associate professor at the School of Orthodontics of University of Naples Federico II.
Dr. D’Antò is member of IADR, EOS, AAO, WFO and SIDO, and the Past President of the Italian Society for Biomechanics (SIBOS). Dr D’Antò is Associate Editor of AJODO and OCR. He authored many papers and has given oral presentations in more than 20 countries and at the international congresses of EOS, AAO, IADR, SIDO, EAS, DGAO, SFOPA, SiAlign, NVvO, HOD. Dr. D’Antò received the Robert Frank Award (2004, 2005, 2009) and the Hatton Award (2006) of IADR, the SIDO award (2007, 2010, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023), the EOS Houston Award (2012) and the Tiziano Baccetti Award (2016).
Ute Schneider-Moser
University of Pennsylvania UPENN
1985 DDS University of Mainz, Germany
Since 1987 Private practice in Bolzano, Italy together with Dr. Lorenz Moser
1990 Active Member of the SIDO (Società di Ortodonzia Italiana)
1999 Diplomate of the Italian Board of Orthodontists (IBO)
2010 Specialty in Orthodontics, University of Ferrara, Italy
2010 Brainerd F. Swain Award of Excellence, Angle East (EHASO)
2011 Active Member of the EHASO (Angle East)
Since 2011 Visiting professor, Dep. of Orthodontics University of Ferrara, Italy
2012 President of the Accademia Italiana di Ortodonzia (AIdOr)
2019-2021 President Angle East (EHASO)
2023 Harvey Peck Award of Excellence (Angle East)
2024 Brainerd F. Swain Award of Excellence (Angle East)
2024 President Italian Society of Orthodontics (SIDO)
Since 2021 Adjunct Associate Professor, Dep. of Orthodontics, University of Pennsylvania, USA
Associate Editor Seminars in Orthodontics
Associate Editor Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry
Publications in peer-reviewed journals and chapters in orthodontic textbooks
Thor Henrikson
University of Malmo, Sweden
Thor Henrikson made his Dental degree and the specialist Orthodontic training at University of Malmo Sweden. He presented his PHD thesis in 1999 about orthodontic treatment and TMD. He has published 40 articles in the Orthodontic literature. Member of the Angle Society of Europe since 2002 and became the President in 2020. Part time teaching and supervising at University of Malmo, but works most of the time working in his private practice in the center of Malmo. In addition, he is lecturing frequently both in Sweden and internationally.
Dalya Al Moghrabi
Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Dalya Al-Moghrabi is an Associate Professor of Orthodontics at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. She obtained her PhD in orthodontics in 2019 from Queen Mary University of London, and her clinical doctorate in orthodontics from Trinity College Dublin in Ireland in 2015. She was awarded both the Membership in Orthodontics and the Fellowship of the Faculty of Dentistry from the Royal Colleges of Surgeons in Edinburgh and Ireland, respectively. Dalya has published numerous peer-reviewed papers and presented her research findings internationally. She received the Roberto Justus Young Speakers Scholarship Award from the World Federation of Orthodontists in 2025 and the Seamus Keating Award from the Orthodontic Society of Ireland in 2019.
Registration:
EOS members can benefit from discounted rates. If you are not a member yet, read about the membership benefits here.
Registration fees are inclusive of 20% VAT and are non refundable. Payments must be made electronically by credit/debit card.
If you cannot make the livestream on Tuesday 21 April but do not want to miss it, you can register to access the recording until Wednesday 6 May.
| CATEGORY | FEE |
| EOS Life/Student | £21.60 |
| EOS Member | £39.60 |
| Non-Member | £108.00 |
| Non-Member Trainee | £54.00 |
Sponsors have no input in the selection of speakers and topics.
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