Researchers have developed shape memory TPU materials for orthodontic treatment: more economical and sustainable

The requirements for appliances for the treatment of deformed teeth are very high, they must be clinically effective, customizable, invisible and comfortable to wear. The same is true for orthodontic splint materials. Now, a team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymers IAP in Potsdam, Germany, in collaboration with the University Hospital Düsseldorf in Germany, has developed a highly innovative material that enables completely new treatment concepts and reduces costs. Scientists have developed polymers with shape-memory properties.

This new material combines efficient tooth movement with more efficient use of resources. Dr. Thorsten Pretsch, head of the research department "Synthesis and Polymer Technology" at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, explains the concept: "Appliances made of shape-memory polymers control the forces acting on the teeth and thus make the treatment more patient-friendly."

Dr Thorsten Pretsch said: "Our appliances allow multiple steps of orthodontics to be performed at once. "The advantages are: reducing the number of appliances during treatment, avoiding excessive material waste and reducing treatment costs.

Shape memory polymers are smart materials. Objects made of these plastics are capable of changing their shape in a precise and predetermined way. External stimuli, such as heat, trigger the shape memory effect. The appliance slowly changes shape to move the misaligned tooth to the desired position.