In-office aligner production is increasing in popularity in orthodontic practices worldwide. A smooth workflow allows the clinician to gain absolute control of the treatment plan, design and manufacturing process. The incorporation of automatic trimming machines further reduces the amount of labour undertaken by the orthodontic team. Nevertheless, hand polishing is still required. The present authors describe a novel, cost-effective and easy to implement approach to eliminate this final manufacturing step.
Keywords: automatic aligner trimming, digital dentistry, economic evaluation, finishing, materials, non-manual aligner polishing, thermoplastic