Research progress on clear aligner mandibular advancement technology in the treatment of adolescent skeletal Class Ⅱ malocclusion

Skeletal Class Ⅱ malocclusion is a common dentofacial deformity in adolescents, primarily characterized by mandibular retrognathism. Functional appliance therapy during the pubertal growth spurt to guide mandibular advancement is considered the gold standard. However, traditional functional appliances are often associated with limitations such as bulkiness, poor esthetics, and soft tissue irritation, which can compromise patient compliance. With advancements in digital orthodontics, clear aligner technology integrated with mandibular advancement (clear aligner mandibular advancement, CAMA) has emerged as a novel strategy for treating adolescent skeletal Class Ⅱ malocclusion, offering advantages in esthetics and comfort while significantly improving patient compliance. CAMA exhibits multidimensional clinical advantages in adolescent malocclusion correction: ① Its mechanical mechanism based on material viscoelasticity optimizes temporomandibular joint stress distribution and induces physiological condylar remodeling, microscopically manifested as increased trabecular fractal dimensions; ② While ensuring mandibular growth, it effectively controls molar eruption through the "bite block effect, " providing an optimal solution for vertical control in high-angle cases, and the enhanced precision wing design significantly improves torque control of lower incisors; ③ It improves oropharyngeal airway morphology and respiratory function, benefiting patients' overall health. Although CAMA holds significant value in treating skeletal Class Ⅱ malocclusion, current research remains insufficient regarding the specific proportions of skeletal versus dental effects, long-term stability of treatment outcomes, and therapeutic boundaries for severe skeletal discrepancies, with most studies being retrospective or short-term. Future research should prioritize prospective multicenter randomized controlled trials, establish personalized diagnostic and treatment systems integrating artificial intelligence-assisted design and biomechanical simulation, and comprehensively analyze multiple factors including temporomandibular joint adaptability to further enhance the clinical value of CAMA.