Aligner & Retainer Material
Plastic material is used to fabricate aligners and retainers using a thermoform machine that forms the material over the printed models.
Evaluation Criteria
AAO’s Committee on Technology (CTECH) recommends using the following criteria to evaluate aligner & retainer material.
Consistency:
Do your research and make sure you know what you are getting each time from the plastic.
Costs:
It is perfectly fine if you prefer a less expensive and more rigid plastic, but this may result in having to slow down the prescribed movements on the simulation software.
Flexibility:
You may choose to use a more flexible material in the beginning of treatment and then a more rigid material during the detailing phase at the end. Ultimately, treat the plastic like you would your archwire.