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 are 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.
Theoretical foundations
Vincenzo D’Antò (Italy) examines 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) explains why braces remain her preferred choice in many patients, the clinical situations in which fixed appliances may outperform aligners, and their limitations in everyday practice.
Clinical perspective: aligner therapy
Thor Henrikson (Sweden) outlines why aligners play a central role in his clinical approach, where they may offer clear advantages over braces, and which limitations influence treatment planning.
Evidence and methodology assessment
Dalya Al Moghrabi (Saudi Arabia) explores 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 also considers which treatment modality may be superior from the patient’s perspective, including aspects such as experience, expectations and perceived value.
