Lithoz, a leader in ceramic SLA 3D printing, has brought to market hardware, software and materials that are enabling orthodontists to offer their patients more efficient and customized solutions. Among them is one of the company’s newest products, LithaBite, an alumina-based material developed for the production of translucent orthodontic brackets.
LithaBite, which contains 99.99% high-purity aluminum oxide, offers a combination of beneficial properties for braces, including high density, high strength and optimal friction. Moreover, users can achieve tolerances of less than 10 µm and a wire slot geometry precision of better than 7 µm – a value that impressed many at IDS 2025, where LithaBite was unveiled. This degree of precision is vital to ensuring that each bracket integrates seamlessly with the patient’s teeth and is performing as needed in combination with the archwire.
In more specific terms, the wire slot is the part of the bracket where the archwire is fed, and the geometry of the wire slot plays an important role in determining the movement of teeth and friction between the wire and bracket. Therefore, having a high level of precision for the wire slot geometry is key to ensuring the performance of the orthodontic devices, translating into shorter treatments and a more comfortable experience for patients.
In combination with Lithoz’s proprietary LCM technology, LithaBite is suitable for the creation of optimized orthodontic brackets that offer greater aesthetic quality — a key priority for braces-wearers. On this front, the material is characterized by an ultra-smooth finish and translucent color, which is far more subtle on the teeth than the traditional metal brackets many of us wore in our youths.
