TY  - JOUR
T1  - Design and Implementation of a Smart Orthodontic Management System Using a Retainer Case for Orthodontic Appliances
AU  - Jung, Min-su 
AU  - Lee, Jong-min 
AU  - Kim, Nam-ju 
AU  - Jang, Si-woong 
AU  - Park, Yoo-hyun 
JO  - The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/1/1
DO  - 10.7840/kics.2024.49.12.1775
KW  - Smart Orthodontic Treatment
KW  - Smart Orthodontic Management System
KW  - Healthcare
KW  - IoT
AB  - As the goals of orthodontic treatment have expanded from purely functional to include aesthetic purposes, there has been a steady increase in the number of patients seeking orthodontic care. Notably, the proportion of adult patients continues to rise. While it is critical to maintain the alignment of orthodontically treated teeth, current methods do not allow for accurate tracking of patients' actual retainer wear time or provide immediate feedback. This can diminish the effectiveness of the treatment and lead to suboptimal outcomes. To address these challenges, this study proposes a smart orthodontic retainer management system. The system comprises a Smart Orthodontic Retainer Case equipped with sensors, a Patient App, and a Medical Data Management Server. The retainer case uses infrared sensors to detect the presence of the retainer and transmits this data to the app via Bluetooth. The app then tracks wear time and provides patients with visual feedback on their daily and weekly wear durations. The server processes this collected data and makes it available to healthcare providers, enabling them to monitor patients' retainer usage. This system not only facilitates the management of the treatment process but also enhances treatment outcomes, showcasing the potential for smart technology in orthodontic care.