Sair Salma*, Essalem Ibrahim and EL Quars Farid

Senior Lecturer, Department of Periodontology, Maharana Pratap College of Dentistry and Research Centre, Gwalior, MP, India

*Corresponding Author: Sair Salma, Orthdontics Department, Faculty of Dentistry, University Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco.

Received: January 30, 2026; Published: February 20, 2026

Abstract

Telemedicine has increasingly transformed healthcare delivery by improving access to care and continuity of treatment, particularly in specialties requiring long-term follow-up such as orthodontics. The aim of this literature review was to evaluate the current applications of telemedicine in orthodontics, with a focus on its clinical effectiveness, patient and practitioner acceptance, benefits, and limitations. A narrative review of the literature was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases, including studies published between January 2015 and May 2025 that assessed telemedicine or teledentistry in orthodontic clinical practice. Data extraction was performed according to the PICOT framework, and the methodological quality of observational studies was assessed using the STROBE checklist. A total of 46 articles were included in the analysis, of which 18 met strict PICOT eligibility criteria. The findings indicate that teleorthodontics is particularly effective for remote monitoring of orthodontic treatment, especially in clear aligner therapy and during retention phases, demonstrating high accuracy in the assessment of tooth movement, aligner fit, and appliance integrity. High levels of patient satisfaction and improved treatment compliance were consistently reported, along with positive effects on oral hygiene when remote monitoring was combined with educational reminders. However, teleorthodontics remains limited in its ability to replace in-person clinical examinations, particularly for the diagnosis of caries, periodontal diseases, and complex biomechanical issues, and concerns persist regarding ethical, legal, and data security aspects. In conclusion, telemedicine represents a valuable adjunct to conventional orthodontic care, enhancing monitoring efficiency and patient engagement, but it should be integrated within a regulated, clinician-led framework and not considered a substitute for face-to-face orthodontic treatment.

Keywords: Telemedicine; Teleorthodontics; Teledentistry; Remote Patient Monitoring; Orthodontic Treatment

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Citation

Citation: Sair Salma., et al. “Telemedicine in Orthodontics: A Literature Review". Acta Scientific Dental Sciences 10.3 (2026): 03-10.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2026 Sair Salma., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.