Advances in planning software, bonding systems, and monitoring platforms are redefining the bracket experience for both orthodontists and patients.

By Alison Werner

For much of the last decade, digital orthodontics has been equated with clear aligners. But today, the same tools that make aligner treatment predictable and scalable—digital setups, 3D-printed appliances, and AI-driven monitoring—are changing how orthodontists deliver care with brackets and wires.

Across private practices, doctors report shorter treatment times, fewer emergencies, more efficient appointments, and a more engaging experience for patients and staff. The shift, they say, lies not in replacing wires, but in rethinking the entire workflow around them.

Platforms Behind the Shift

The rise of digital bracket workflows is driven as much by software as by the appliances themselves. Treatment-planning platforms now allow orthodontists to visualize tooth movement, anticipate finishing needs, and transfer those plans into the mouth with far greater precision than in the analog era.

Some systems build their identity around full customization. LightForce produces 3D-printed ceramic brackets tailored to each tooth’s anatomy, paired with trays designed to transfer the virtual plan exactly as prescribed. KLOwen Custom SL takes a different approach, using cloud-based software to generate custom prescriptions for traditional self-ligating brackets, with the goal of cutting down finishing bends and reducing the number of overall visits.

For orthodontists who want to stay with familiar bracket lines, companies have developed digital bonding platforms to bridge the gap. DIBS AI uses artificial intelligence to position brackets and print bonding trays compatible with a wide range of systems. Ormco Digital Bonding ties its Spark Approver software to its Damon Ultima and Symetri Clear bracket lines, delivering setups through custom transfer jigs. Solventum (formerly 3M Oral Care) has built digital bonding into its Clarity bracket line, pairing it with the APC Flash-Free adhesive system to streamline placement and cut down on cleanup. On the wire side, SureSmile connects planning software to robotic wire bending, extending digital precision beyond brackets alone.

Together, these developments reflect how digital orthodontics has moved beyond aligners. Brackets and wires are now part of the same ecosystem of planning tools, custom manufacturing, and AI-driven oversight that is reshaping clinical workflows across the specialty.

Adding to that ecosystem are remote monitoring platforms, which extend digital workflows into day-to-day bracket care. DentalMonitoring leads the adoption of the technology with AI-powered tools that can flag issues like passive wires or debonded brackets, allowing orthodontists to adjust recall intervals and reduce emergencies. Grin takes a different tack, pairing its scanning app with support from Grin Care Specialists—trained professionals who review patient scans alongside AI. Together, these tools make remote oversight a practical part of digital bracket care.

This combination of planning, bonding, and monitoring tools has enabled digital workflows to extend fully into the bracket side of orthodontics.

A Shift Driven by Necessity

In Marlboro, NJ, Tara Gostovich, DMD, was among those who accelerated their adoption of digital workflows in 2020. With fewer staff returning after the shutdown, she looked for ways to maintain patient care without overextending her team.

Digital bracket systems and remote monitoring—specifically LightForce and DentalMonitoring—became her solution. “I made a complete transformation to an all-digital workflow because it took the place of staff,” she recalls. The result was greater predictability: fewer repositioning appointments, reduced breakages, and treatment times that fell from about 26 months to 14.

For Blake Davis, DDS, MSD, who practices in Kirkland and Redmond, Wash, the transition also crystallized during that same period. He had already streamlined aligner workflows, but his analog bracket cases continued to demand multiple finishing bends and repos. “I felt like I was still just kind of banging my head up against the wall,” he says. Adopting a digital system “was about creating the same workflow as aligners” for braces.

Digital Indirect Bonding as a Cornerstone

If there is a single technology that defines this new era of bracket treatment, it is digital indirect bonding (IDB). Traditional IDB relied on stone models and hand-placed brackets. Digital workflows replace that with 3D scans, virtual setups, and precision-printed trays.

Rozheh Babaan, DDS, MSD, who practices in Glendale and Pasadena, Calif, remembers learning the old way during training. “We were taught the Stone Age way,” he said, describing how labor-intensive it was to build models and set brackets manually. Now, his bonding process looks entirely different. With digital trays, he can place a full upper arch in less than a minute of doctor time, while the patient is in and out in under 15 minutes.

The accuracy of the trays also allows delegation. “They load it up, and literally in less than 30 seconds, I just double check it before the patient is bonded,” Babaan says. He often begins the process, then steps aside while staff complete the curing, freeing him to consult with parents.

For Davis, outsourcing digital trays eliminated the bottleneck of fabricating trays in the office. Chairside bonding, he says, had been “a big anchor” on his schedule, tying him up for 45 minutes or more. With digital IDB, his role is reduced to a few minutes spent saying hi to the patient and parents and checking the bracket placement. And the outsourcing means he isn’t spending time calibrating equipment or hiring another staff member to manage the 3D printing workflow. “It really wastes a ton of time to put braces on directly,” he said. Now his time is better used for oversight.

And the benefits extend beyond efficiency. Because brackets are placed exactly where they are designed in the setup, orthodontists report fewer emergencies, better seating, and fewer debonds—outcomes that improve both workflow and the patient experience.

Predictability and Fewer Finishing Bends

The digital setup also changes the clinical side of bracket treatment. With analog systems, finishing often meant a mix of repositioning and intricate wire bends. Barry Benton, DMD, MSD, who practices in Oxford, Ala, and uses both Ormco Digital Bonding and LightForce, says digital brackets have significantly reduced that burden.

“What used to take a half-millimeter bend over once a month for 3 to 6 months … all that is taken care of in the design [setup],” he says. The result, he emphasizes, is not only efficiency but a smoother treatment arc with fewer wasted visits.

Gostovich echoes that sentiment. “With regular braces, I would be towards the end of treatment, trying to figure out, well, why can’t I get this perfect Class I fit?” she says. With a digital setup, those questions are answered at the beginning, allowing her to plan IPR, elastics, or bonding strategies up front.

Davis describes the effect as finally achieving what orthodontists have always wanted: a straight-wire appliance that functions as promised and eliminates most of those detailing appointments.

Monitoring Brackets Like Aligners

Remote monitoring, once seen as an aligner-only tool, is now proving its value in bracket cases. With patients sending weekly scans, orthodontists can extend appointment intervals while maintaining real-time oversight.

Gostovich, Benton, and Davis all use DentalMonitoring, relying on its AI-powered features to support different parts of their workflows. Gostovich sets automated goals, like detecting passive wires or identifying broken brackets, which she says brings more efficiency and less chaos to her days. Benton uses the technology to personalize recall intervals, adjusting timing to a patient’s biology rather than defaulting to a 4- or 8-week schedule.

Babaan, who uses Solventum’s Clarity Digital Bonding, is currently onboarding Grin, which is integrated with the Clarity Portal. What draws him to the platform is its combination of AI and human intelligence through Grin Care Specialists, who review scans before they reach the orthodontist. He describes himself as “old school” and says he values that added human layer, which frees his own team from constantly monitoring scans while still giving families confidence that nothing important will be overlooked.

For Davis, oversight itself is the non-negotiable factor, regardless of platform. He points out that if visits are stretched to 14 or 16 weeks, orthodontists need the assurance that appliances are still functioning as planned. The stakes, he emphasizes, are higher with braces than with aligners, which makes real-time monitoring essential.

Even unexpected diagnostic benefits have emerged. Gostovich recalled catching a periodontal abscess flagged by AI in a patient scan—an issue she might not have spotted between visits without digital oversight.

Staff and Patient Experience

The ripple effects of digital workflows reach beyond chairside efficiency. Gostovich reduced her workweek from 5 days to 2½ while still growing her practice. “The gift of time has been given back to all of us,” she says, noting how her staff now enjoy calmer days and patients benefit from fewer visits.

Babaan sees a marketing dimension, too. Parents notice shorter appointments and on-time schedules. “Moms and dads … just love the speed of everything that we do at our office,” he says. In some cases, he adds, families now ask specifically about digital bonding.

For Benton, the patient experience improvement is straightforward: “They’re getting a more detailed finish, they’re getting it sooner, they’re getting that smile in less time with fewer visits.”

Hurdles: Cost, Training, and Value Perception

Despite the clear benefits, orthodontists acknowledge challenges. Cost was a hurdle for Gostovich, particularly when she first adopted a custom bracket system and remote monitoring platform all at once. “There were times where we had a cash flow issue in the beginning, because all of a sudden everything went digital,” she admitted.

Her advice: commit fully rather than dabbling. “When you commit to something, you force yourself to learn,” she says. Partial adoption, she argues, makes it too easy to give up when things go wrong.

Benton pointed to the learning curve as another obstacle. Moving from traditional bonding and wire bending to digital planning required new habits—and confidence in what he was seeing on the computer screen. But the adjustment wasn’t his alone. “There was definitely some staff training that went into play,” he explains. “Because not only did we have to create new systems around this technology, we had to educate and train the staff on the new system.”

Davis raised a different issue: patient perception of value. While aligner patients easily see the benefit of remote monitoring, bracket patients sometimes needed reassurance. “The patient has to understand why it matters,” he says.

The key, Davis says, is to frame it around convenience and peace of mind. “They’re never going backwards; they’re always progressing forward in treatment.” He also points out that hygiene tracking resonates strongly with parents. “They want the reassurance that their kid’s doing what they need to do to have healthy teeth at the end of this.”

The Bigger Picture

Ultimately, digital workflows for brackets aren’t about replacing orthodontists’ skills—they’re about amplifying them. By eliminating repetitive inefficiencies, orthodontists can focus more on diagnosis, oversight, and patient relationships.

Davis reflects on how the digital shift changed his approach to treatment planning. “Back 10–15 years ago, we were basically jumping into an exam room, quickly making a decision … Now, when you have the patient up on the screen, it makes you a much better orthodontist.”

For these orthodontists, the message is clear: brackets and wires are not being left behind in the digital era. They’re being redefined by it. OP

5 Tips for Bringing Digital Workflows Into Bracket Treatment

Orthodontists curious about digital workflows for braces don’t have to transform their entire practice overnight. Experts say the most successful transitions start with planning, training, and the right mix of tools. Here are five considerations for practices looking to make the move.

  1. Start with scanning. Digital workflows begin with accurate records. Investing in a reliable intraoral scanner is often the first step toward 3D setups, indirect bonding, and digital monitoring. The scanner becomes the hub for everything that follows, so practices should prioritize speed, ease of use, and integration with their preferred platforms.
  2. Choose the right bonding system. Not every orthodontist needs fully customized brackets on day one. Some may prefer platforms that adapt to their existing bracket systems, while others may opt for custom 3D-printed solutions. Evaluate whether you want to keep the brackets you know or move toward complete customization. Both approaches can reduce finishing bends and repositioning—just through different pathways.
  3. Plan for staff roles. Digital tools can shift workflows in the operatory. Indirect bonding trays, for example, often allow assistants to take on more responsibility while the orthodontist oversees accuracy. Remote monitoring platforms may free up front desk staff by reducing call volume for scheduling. Think ahead about who on your team will manage each piece of technology.
  4. Communicate the value to patients. Parents and patients don’t always understand why digital matters. Explaining benefits in plain language—fewer visits, shorter chair time, or earlier identification of problems—helps families see the value. Framing it around convenience and predictability can be especially effective in bracket cases, where patients may be less familiar with digital oversight than with aligners.
  5. Budget for the transition. New platforms come with upfront costs. Practices should weigh subscription fees, equipment purchases, and training time against expected gains in efficiency and throughput. Some orthodontists find it easier to introduce one system at a time; others prefer a full conversion. Either way, mapping out the financial impact early helps avoid surprises.

The bottom line: Digital workflows aren’t just for aligners anymore. With the right strategy, they can streamline bracket treatment, ease the orthodontist’s workload, and enhance the patient experience—all while positioning a practice for the future. OP

Photo: ID 366996384 | © Anatolii Savitskii | Dreamstime.com

Alison Werner is chief editor of Orthodontic Products.