New Case Studies for SmartArch Orthodontic Archwire Paves Way to Product Launch Later This Year
Revolutionary smart material will slash orthodontic treatment time
Waterloo, July 1, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Smarter Alloys today announced a final round of case studies prior to launching SmartArch — a revolutionary new archwire that allows orthodontists to simultaneously apply different forces to different teeth. The additional case studies will provide further clinical evidence of the efficacy of SmartArch. “We’re thrilled about taking SmartArch one step closer to commercial availability for orthodontists and dentists,” said Michael Kuntz, VP Marketing and Product Development. “SmartArch offers unparalleled potential to improve the orthodontic experience for patients.”
By tailoring the stiffness of the wire to match the needs of individual teeth, SmartArch increases treatment efficiency, resulting in faster treatments and fewer office visits for wire changes. The new round of case studies will expand the range of malocclusion types that are targeted by SmartArch’s engineered stiffness profiles. The results will be used to validate biomechanical modelling and in-situ simulations that show an ideal orthodontic archwire has stiffness regions that vary by each tooth in the arch.
SmartArch engineered archwires are programmed to express biomechanically optimized forces using Smarter Alloys’ proprietary Multiple Memory Material technology. This is the first such application of new smart materials technology in the orthodontic field. “The concept of variable stiffness orthodontics was first championed by renowned biomechanics researcher Dr. Charles Burstone in the 1970s,” said Dr. Ibraheem Khan, Chief Executive Officer. “We can finally realize this vision using Smarter Alloys’ technology.” Dr. Burstone was an early proponent of SmartArch.
The case studies are expected to be completed during the third quarter of 2015, leading to a commercial launch by the end of the year.
About SmartArch
SmartArch is the first and only biomechanically optimized orthodontic archwire, capable of delivering ideal forces anywhere in the arch. It was first introduced at the American Association of Orthodontists’ May 2015 annual session in San Francisco.
About Smarter Alloys
Smarter Alloys is at the forefront of the smart materials revolution. Our unique ability to program shape memory behaviour into microscopic regions of materials allows complex machine-like function from simple devices. This Multiple Memory Material™ technology enables a transformation in the design and utility of shape memory alloys used in medical, dental, automotive, aerospace and consumer industries. Founded in 2010 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, Smarter Alloys is a privately controlled Canadian corporation funded by lead investors ArcTern Ventures.