ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN MODERN ORTHODONTICS: FROM DIAGNOSIS TO APPLIANCE FABRICATION. A LITERATURE REVIEW

In recent years, additive manufacturing has taken an increasingly significant place in modern orthodontics, enabling a transition from the use of individual digital tools to an integrated clinical and laboratory workflow that includes diagnosis, virtual planning, appliance fabrication, and treatment outcome monitoring. This review examines the current capabilities of intraoral scanning, cone-beam computed tomography, three-dimensional cephalometry, artificial intelligence, CAD/CAM technologies, and 3D printing at the stages of diagnosis, planning, and clinical implementation of orthodontic treatment. It is shown that the integration of digital methods improves the accuracy of morphometric analysis, enhances the assessment of anatomical and functional parameters, and increases the reproducibility of clinical and laboratory steps. Special attention is paid to the use of additive technologies in the manufacture of aligners, retainers, custom-made cortical-supported appliances, and devices used in combined surgical-orthodontic treatment. Separate sections address digital assessment of occlusion, the temporomandibular joint, bone boundaries for orthodontic tooth movement, and artificial intelligence capabilities in image analysis automation and clinical decision support. Material science aspects of 3D printing are analyzed, including the properties of polymeric and metallic materials, post-processing parameters, and clinical limitations. It is emphasized that the key trend is the shift towards a continuous digital cycle; however, for 3D‑printed devices, biocompatibility, wear resistance, and long-term stability remain insufficiently studied. Further development of additive technologies in orthodontics is determined not only by expanding technological possibilities but also by the need to accumulate clinically verified data on accuracy, biocompatibility, long-term stability, and effectiveness of manufactured appliances.