Microsensor technology to help monitor removable appliance wear.

Retention is routinely prescribed after orthodontic treatment to prevent relapse. Orthodontists often notice a discrepancy between what a patient reports about retainer wear and what a clinical examination shows. In these cases, is the patient misreporting wear, or is the retainer at fault? Scientific Compliance (Atlanta, Ga) has invented, patented, and produced the Smart Retainer environmental microsensor that can be easily incorporated into many types of removable orthodontic appliances to monitor compliance.