Biolux Research has initiated a clinical trial at Mahidol University in Thailand to evaluate the effects of phototherapy technology on orthodontic tooth movement and treatment timelines, the company announced.
The principal investigator for the study is Peerapong Santiwong, DDS, PhD, a researcher and lecturer in orthodontics. Also participating in the study is Amornpong Vachiramon, DDS, a lecturer in clinical orthodontic protocols and systems.
The goal of the trial is to evaluate the efficacy of phototherapy on tooth movement over the course of two focused, shorter-term treatment phases that are typically included in a comprehensive orthodontic treatment with full braces, the company said. The first phase is level and align, in which the anterior teeth are individually oriented prior to space closure or finishing. The second phase is space closure to close gaps as a result of extractions preformed to create sufficient room for the aligned teeth in the arch.
The trial will include 60 orthodontic patients treated with self-ligating brackets and wires plus phototherapy, and the patients will be followed over the course of one or both treatment phases, according to Biolux. Measurements of gap width, tooth orientation, and tooth position will be made periodically by physical measurement, modeling, and imaging.
The trial will be randomized and partially blinded, and each treated patient will also provide control data from the untreated side of the split-mouth protocol, the company said.
