LightForce推出创新正畸金属托槽

LightForce Orthodontics, a leader in custom 3D printed orthodontic solutions, has announced the launch of LightBracket Metal, a patient-specific 3D printed metal bracket that the company describes as the first of its kind. This new product expands LightForce’s individualized bracket system beyond ceramics and into the metal segment, which accounts for 65% of orthodontic patients worldwide.

LightForce Orthodontics（一家定制3D打印正畸解决方案的领军企业）宣布推出LightBracket Metal——公司称其为全球首款患者特异性3D打印金属托槽。这款新产品将LightForce的个性化托槽系统从陶瓷领域拓展至占全球正畸患者65%的金属托槽市场。

According to the company, the global orthodontic market is valued at $4.7 billion, with metal brackets being the preferred choice for the majority of patients, including teenagers. LightForce’s existing ceramic system has already demonstrated significant benefits, reducing appointments by up to 60% and treatment times by up to 43% compared to conventional braces. LightBracket Metal aims to bring these same advantages to the metal bracket market.

据该公司介绍，全球正畸市场规模达47亿美元，其中金属托槽是包括青少年在内大多数患者的首选。LightForce现有的陶瓷系统已展现出显著优势：与传统矫正器相比，可减少多达60%的复诊次数并缩短43%的治疗时间。LightBracket Metal旨在将相同优势引入金属托槽市场。

“For more than a century, orthodontics relied on a stock bracket for patients who were never stock. LightBracket Metal changes the order of things. We’re giving doctors the most exact instrument they’ve ever had for the work they were born to do,” said Dr. Alfred Griffin, founder and CEO of LightForce Orthodontics.

“一个多世纪以来，正畸治疗一直依赖标准化托槽来服务非标准化的患者。LightBracket Metal改变了这一格局。我们为医生提供了前所未有的精准工具，助力他们实现与生俱来的专业使命，”LightForce Orthodontics创始人兼首席执行官Alfred Griffin博士表示。

The product is part of what LightForce calls “generative braces,” a category built on the principle that the treatment plan is the input and the bracket is the output. Each bracket is generated from the orthodontist’s digital plan and individualized across six parameters: bracket base, slot height, slot prescription, bracket position, tie wings, and hooks. The base is shaped to the morphology of the specific tooth it will bond to.

该产品属于LightForce所谓的”生成式矫正器”范畴——其核心理念是以治疗方案为输入参数，托槽为输出结果。每个托槽都基于正畸医生的数字化方案生成，并在六个参数维度实现个性化：托槽基底、槽沟高度、槽沟处方、托槽定位、结扎翼和牵引钩。托槽基底会根据其粘接牙齿的形态学特征进行定制。

Three slot sizes are available—.018″, .020″, and .022″—with bidimensional combinations. The indirect bonding trays are generated algorithmically, allowing bonding to be delegated to clinical staff. This approach differs from conventional orthodontics, where the prescription is fixed and the clinician compensates for individual patient variation through manual adjustments across multiple appointments. LightForce moves that work upstream, building the variation into the bracket itself before it reaches the chair.

提供三种槽沟尺寸（.018″、.020″和.022″），支持二维组合方案。间接粘接托盘通过算法生成，使粘接操作可交由临床辅助人员完成。这与传统正畸中固定处方、医生需通过多次复诊手动补偿个体差异的方式截然不同。LightForce将这一工作前移，在托槽进入诊室前即通过托槽本身实现个体化调整。

The company operates what it describes as the world’s largest facility for directly 3D printed functional medical devices by volume, located in the United States. The ceramic bracket system was where this manufacturing model was first validated. LightBracket Metal uses a proprietary metal 3D printing process, though LightForce has not disclosed the specific technology involved.

公司运营着据称全球最大的直接3D打印功能性医疗器械生产基地（位于美国）。陶瓷托槽系统是该制造模式首次获得验证的领域。LightBracket Metal采用专有金属3D打印工艺，但LightForce尚未披露具体技术细节。

The rollout to practices is now underway. LightForce will showcase the product publicly for the first time at the American Association of Orthodontists Annual Session in Orlando from May 1 through 3, 2026, followed by a clinical webinar on May 7 featuring Griffin and a case review from contributing doctors.

该产品现已开始向诊所推广。LightForce将于2026年5月1日至3日在奥兰多举行的美国正畸医师协会年会上首次公开展示该产品，并于5月7日举办临床网络研讨会，届时Griffin博士将与参与临床案例的医生进行病例回顾。

LightForce launched its first 3D printed ceramic bracket system in 2019 with FDA clearance, built on a light-based 3D printing process and cloud-based treatment planning software. A $14 million Series B followed in September 2020, led by Tyche Partners with participation from Matrix Partners and AM Ventures, with capital directed at scaling operations to meet growing demand.

LightForce于2019年推出首款获得FDA认证的3D打印陶瓷托槽系统，该系统基于光固化3D打印工艺和云端治疗规划软件。2020年9月完成1400万美元B轮融资，由Tyche Partners领投，Matrix Partners和AM Ventures参投，资金用于扩大运营规模以满足日益增长的需求。

A $50 million Series C led by Kleiner Perkins came in November 2021, a year in which the company posted strong growth. This financial backing has enabled LightForce to continue innovating in the field of custom orthodontic solutions.

2021年11月完成由Kleiner Perkins领投的5000万美元C轮融资，当年公司实现强劲增长。这笔资金支持使LightForce能够持续在定制正畸解决方案领域进行创新。

The orthodontic industry is increasingly turning to digital workflows and 3D printing to improve patient outcomes and practice efficiency. For 3D printing enthusiasts and professionals, this development highlights the growing intersection of medical technology and additive manufacturing. If you’re inspired by these innovations, you can explore a wide range of premium STL files for your own 3D printing projects, from functional prototypes to creative designs.

As 3D printing continues to revolutionize industries like orthodontics, the demand for high-quality digital models and 3D printing models is only increasing. Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional, having access to reliable STL files is essential for bringing your ideas to life.

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