Fraunhofer team develops smart materials for orthodontic treatment

Frankfurt, Germany – Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP has developed a smart thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material for the treatment of dental mis-alignment.

The TPUs offer an alternative to conventional aligner materials which, due to strong compressive forces, require many small treatment steps to avoid without damaging tissue.

Therefore, Fraunhofer IAP, in cooperation with the University Hospital in Düsseldorf, developed shape-memory polymers for use in orthodontic splints.

The TPU reacts to both heat and body-warm water: changing shape depending on temperature or how much water the material absorbs, the German institute explained.

In practical terms, the shape-memory effect could be triggered by saliva within the oral cavity, said a 19 April Fraunhofer IAP announcement.

This feature enables the TPU material to support ‘several correction steps in one’, according to the statement.

“Clever choice of material thickness as well as the gradual heating of the aligner additionally controls the force applied to the teeth,” it added.

"Aligners made of shape-memory polymers control the force acting on the teeth and thus make therapy more patient-friendly," said Fraunhofer IAP research leader Dr Thorsten Pretsch.