This randomized controlled clinical trial will compare three commonly used interproximal enamel reduction (IPR) techniques during clear aligner therapy in adult patients. IPR is a routine orthodontic procedure in which a small amount of enamel is removed between teeth to create space and help achieve the planned alignment.
Seventy-five adults (18 years and older) indicated for receiving clear aligner treatment with IPR prescribed in their digital treatment plan will be enrolled at the orthodontic clinics of Riyadh Elm University (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) and randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three IPR techniques: manual abrasive strips (manual arm), motor-driven oscillating strips (motor-driven arm), or abrasive discs (abrasive arm). IPR will be performed by the same trained operator according to the assigned technique.
The primary outcome is IPR accuracy, defined as the difference between the amount of IPR planned digitally and the amount performed clinically, measured using intraoral scans taken before and immediately after IPR. Secondary outcomes are short-term periodontal outcomes, assessed on IPR teeth only using plaque and gingival bleeding indices at baseline and at a 6-week follow-up visit. The data analyst will be blinded to group allocation