The Use of Clear Aligner Therapy for Orthognathic Surgery Patients: A Cross-Sectional Survey Among Saudi Orthodontists and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Abstract

Background Orthognathic surgery corrects severe skeletal discrepancies that cannot be addressed by orthodontics alone. With advancements in digital workflows and CAD/CAM technologies, clear aligner therapy (CAT) has emerged as a potential adjunct in surgical cases. However, its clinical application remains under-researched. This study aimed to exploratorily assess the knowledge, clinical experience, and attitudes of orthodontists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Saudi Arabia regarding CAT in orthognathic surgery patients. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from April 1 to May 31, 2023, using a closed-ended online questionnaire distributed to specialists across Saudi Arabia. The survey gathered demographic and clinical data. Statistical analysis included descriptive methods, chi-square testing, and univariate regression. Given the limited sample size, inferential analyses were performed for exploratory purposes and interpreted cautiously. Results Out of 278 invited participants, 46 complete responses (16.5%) were received, which was substantially lower than the calculated minimum sample size. Most participants were aged 31–40 years and had 6–10 years of experience. Orthodontists accounted for 65.2% of the respondents, with oral and maxillofacial surgeons at 34.8%. While most treated 1–4 orthognathic patients monthly, 80% had no experience using CAT in these cases Although CAT was commonly used in routine orthodontic practice, its application in orthognathic surgery cases was limited. Exploratory regression analysis suggested a possible association between clinician age and CAT usage (R 2 = 0.38), whereas gender and years of experience did not show clear associations. Conclusion This exploratory survey provides preliminary insight into current clinician experience and perceptions regarding the use of clear aligner therapy in orthognathic surgery in Saudi Arabia. Given the low response rate and limited sample size, the findings should be interpreted cautiously as descriptive and hypothesis-generating rather than confirmatory, and larger multicenter studies are needed before any definitive conclusions can be drawn.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. F1000Research, 2026 · DOI ↗