Simulation System for Dental Bracket Positioning

Extended Reality (XR) is increasingly recognized as a transformative tool in healthcare education, offering immersive and interactive learning experiences. This work focuses on developing and evaluating an XR-based training environment for dental students designed to teach proper orthodontic bracket placement. The system simulates a digital dental model of upper and lower arches using the Unity engine, including a virtual table with orthodontic brackets and a plier for bracket positioning. Participants interact by picking up the pliers, selecting brackets, and placing them on corresponding teeth. Correct placement, aligned with the MBT<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sup> positioning chart by Bennett and McLaughlin, triggers immediate positive feedback. The training concludes successfully when all brackets are correctly positioned. The Quest 3 headset was used in experiments with dental students to assess skill learning, consistency, and user feedback. Results indicate XR’s potential to enhance orthodontic education and suggest broader applications in dental training, warranting further research.