Public perception of Invisalign® clear aligner treatment: A cross-sectional survey-based study

Abstract

Objectives: The demand for clear aligner treatment has increased in recent years. Thus, this study investigated public knowledge regarding Invisalign clear aligner treatment. Material and Methods: A web-based survey was administered through different social media platforms covering different aspects of Invisalign treatment, namely: Treatment efficiency, patient discomfort, appliance esthetic attractiveness, oral hygiene maintenance, and treatment aesthetic results. Participants were also asked to outline their perception of Invisalign treatment cost. A Likert-type scale was used to rank the participant responses. Data were analyzed with the Chi-square test and Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Results: Out of 934 eligible adult participants, 19.6% were aware of Invisalign. Most of the Invisalign-familiar respondents were unaware of its cost (27.9%) but agree it is generally better (49.7%), requires fewer visits (38.2%), results in shorter treatment duration (39.4%) and reduced teeth discomfort (35%), more esthetically attractive (64%), yields easier oral hygiene maintenance (55.2%), and produces superior esthetic results (43.7%) than traditional braces. In addition, males and average-income participants were more likely to believe that Invisalign treatment produces superior esthetic results than traditional braces (P = 0.0002 and P = 0.002, respectively). Average-income participants also believed that Invisalign treatment was generally better (P < 0.0001). While participants in the age-range 55–64 years strongly believe, it is cheaper (P < 0.0001) than traditional braces. Conclusion: This study highlighted the lack of public knowledge about Invisalign treatment. The results also indicated the importance of ensuring public access to reliable information backed up by high-quality evidence.