{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]],"date-time":"2026-05-27T11:05:08Z","timestamp":1779879908571,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,15]],"date-time":"2026-05-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778803200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Objectives: Conventional stainless-steel orthodontic molar bands may exhibit limited anatomical adaptation, favoring plaque retention and periodontal inflammation. This study aimed to compare the periodontal outcomes of standard bands and CAD\/CAM-customized molar bands in adolescents. Materials and Methods: A prospective randomized controlled clinical study was conducted in 180 adolescents (mean age: 11.9 years) undergoing fixed orthodontic therapy. Participants were allocated to CAD\/CAM-customized bands (n = 90) or standard stainless-steel bands (n = 90). Periodontal parameters\u2014Plaque Control Record (PCR), Bleeding on Probing (BOP), and Periodontal Probing Depth (PPD)\u2014were assessed at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months. Data were analyzed using the Mann\u2013Whitney U test (p &lt; 0.05). Results: Baseline values were comparable between groups (p &gt; 0.05). During follow-up, the CAD\/CAM group showed significantly lower PCR, BOP, and PPD values. At 6 months, PCR was 21 \u00b1 8% vs. 42 \u00b1 12%, BOP was 17 \u00b1 6% vs. 40 \u00b1 10%, and PPD was 2.5 \u00b1 0.5 mm vs. 3.1 \u00b1 0.6 mm (all p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: CAD\/CAM-customized molar bands demonstrated superior periodontal performance compared with conventional bands. Improved anatomical adaptation may reduce plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation during orthodontic treatment.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina62050967","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]],"date-time":"2026-05-27T10:19:52Z","timestamp":1779877192000},"page":"967","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Digital Manufacturing and Periodontal Performance of CAD\/CAM-Customized Orthodontic Molar Bands Compared with Standard Stainless-Steel Bands"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"62","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5433-1137","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sorana Maria","family":"Bucur","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, \u201cDimitrie Cantemir\u201d University of T\u00e2rgu Mure\u0219, 3\u20135 Bodoni Sandor Str., 540545 T\u00e2rgu-Mure\u0219, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Clara Diana","family":"Haddad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, \u201cGrigore T. Popa\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy Ia\u0219i, 700115 Ia\u0219i, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Loredana","family":"Mi\u021bariu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department IV of Dental Medicine and Nursing, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sibiu \u201cLucian Blaga\u201d (ULBS), Lucian Blaga 2A, 550169 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mihai","family":"Mi\u021bariu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department IV of Dental Medicine and Nursing, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sibiu \u201cLucian Blaga\u201d (ULBS), Lucian Blaga 2A, 550169 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mariana","family":"P\u0103curar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, \u201cGeorge Emil Palade\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology, 540139 T\u00e2rgu-Mure\u0219, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.1177\/14653125231186825","article-title":"A review and evaluation of orthodontic brackets, molar bands and orthodontic auxiliaries during orthognathic surgery: A prospective cohort study","volume":"51","author":"Ho","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. 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