Align has built a multi-billion-dollar business out of 3D printed thermoforming inserts that are used for silicone clear aligners that gradually align your teeth. That model has been copied by many, with companies trying to offer lower-cost solutions that work slightly differently. Now LightForce Orthodontics wants to do something that, if successful, could be very impactful and innovative.
LightForce launched in 2019, 3D printing unique brackets that let braces be tailored to patients. The company later secured $80 million in funding, bringing its total to $150 million. Now they’ve released the LightBracket Metal, a metal patient-specific brace bracket. And going by the enthusiasm expressed in these images, this will be great and much better than being kidnapped. The design of the braces depends on the treatment plan, with each bracket specifically designed for that tooth.
LightForce Orthodontics CEO Alfred Griffin said,
“For more than a century, orthodontics relied on a stock bracket for patients who were never stock. LightBracket Metal changes the order of things. We’re giving doctors the most exact instrument they’ve ever had for the work they were born to do.”
Meanwhile, the company’s President, James Lawton, stated,
“For decades, every patient got the same bracket. That ends now. We are accelerating toward a future where the very idea of a universal, one-size-fits-all bracket is unthinkable.”
Previously, the company has seen “up to 60% fewer appointments and 43% shorter treatment times over conventional braces.” That translates into more profit for orthodontists and easier treatments for patients. The company says it has a “proprietary 3D metal printing process.” We’re not sure right now what they mean by this, if this means that they have an adapted version of LPBF to do this, for example, or if they really came up with an entirely new process. The brackets can have a custom “bracket base, slot height, slot prescription, bracket position, tie wings, and hooks,” while the “base conforms to the morphology of the individual tooth.” It also says that a “lower-profile design with a breakthrough patient-specific tie-wing and hook delivers improved comfort and reduced debond rates.” Debonding occurs when the brackets fail and release from the teeth. A reduction of that, therefore, would be good news for patients. Bracket failure rates seem to run at between 2% and 6%, which adds up to a lot of extra work for orthodontists.
LightForce seems to be making real progress in disrupting orthodontics. Others have found it difficult to dislodge Invisalign through trying to out-invisalign Invisalign, which, of course, is very difficult. LightForce, meanwhile, is taking a different approach, working with dentists, working on brackets, and could offer an alternative path for patients. We don’t know how LightForce is printing its brackets and what the costs are. If it can reduce the printing costs significantly or if it has developed a process that lets it print its parts well, then it could find a lasting advantage. If it has made a process that is perfect for small brackets with smooth finishes, then the company could really build on that to ensure that it can win well beyond when their patents expire. Orthodontics is a multi-billion-dollar industry where 3D printing is providing easier, more cost-effective treatment for patients. If LightForce continues to build on its own success and expands they could be a real financial force to be reckoned with as well. Indeed, with a current market cap of over $13 billion, Align may find LightForce an irresistible company to buy. Even if it would not be interested it surely would be more than a bit worried if Dentsply Sirona or Straumann managed to buy the firm or if LightForce went public. Either way the future seems bright for LightForce.
Images courtesy of LightForce Orthodontics