New comparative data puts numbers behind FXClear aligner efficiency

FXClear cases finished treatment in an average of 17.3 months, compared with 23.0 months for Invisalign, which is a difference of nearly six months, or 25 percent. That gap has a practical side too: a case that clears the schedule six months sooner frees chair capacity for the next patient.

That same efficiency showed up in visit counts as well, where FXClear cases required 12.6 total visits vs. 15.4 for Invisalign. Breaking the visits down further, the preliminary study also compared in-office vs. virtual visits. In-office visit counts were statistically comparable, with the gap coming almost entirely from virtual check-ins (2.3 vs. 5.5). In practical terms, it means fewer unscheduled or extra monitoring and troubleshooting check-ins for cases potentially needing mid-course corrections.

When reviewing the total number of aligners used per case, results showed a significant 40 percent reduction in FXClear aligner cases: FXClear used 49 aligners per case vs. 82 aligners per case for Invisalign. Researchers linked this significant finding to sustained force delivery later into each aligner's wear cycle. Fewer changes mean fewer opportunities for fit or tracking issues to surface, which supports the reduced visit count.

The precision data that followed illustrate why the numbers hold together structurally. Digital superimposition of planned vs. actual outcomes showed 39 to 43 percent of surface points deliver within 0.5 mm of the treatment plan for FXClear, vs. 27 to 28 percent for Invisalign. A case that tracks closer to plan is less likely to need an unplanned refinement near the end of treatment.

Encouragingly, along with the efficiency gains from FXClear aligners, outcome quality remained comparable: objective grading found comparable finishing results between both systems. Taken together, the data offers a rare instance where faster and fewer aligners can also provide quality in final treatment outcomes — a meaningful combination of efficiency and predictability.

The full breakdown of findings, along with the study's design and methodology, is available at orthofx.com/clinical-results.

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