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BOSTON - April 28, 2026 - LightForce Orthodontics, the company behind the world’s first fully individualized 3D-printed bracket, today announced LightBracket Metal™ — the first-of-its-kind patient-specific 3D-printed metal bracket. The launch marks a significant expansion of access to individualized fixed treatment and establishes a new category of care: generative braces.
Generative braces are a new category of orthodontic care in which every appliance is generated from the individual treatment plan. The plan is the input, and the bracket is the output. If the plan changes, the bracket changes with it. Rather than relying on standardized appliances, each bracket is generated and manufactured for a specific patient and a specific tooth. The result is a patient-specific bracket system that directly reflects the doctor’s treatment plan.
“For more than a century, orthodontics relied on a stock bracket for patients who were never stock. LightBracket Metal changes the order of things. We’re giving doctors the most exact instrument they've ever had for the work they were born to do," said Alfred Griffin, founder and CEO of LightForce Orthodontics.
Orthodontic treatment has evolved through distinct generations, from standardized stock brackets requiring manual adjustments and longer treatment times, to clear aligners that introduced digital planning but remain limited in clinical scope. LightForce pioneered generative braces and validated the model with its ceramic bracket system, which has demonstrated up to 60% fewer appointments and 43% shorter treatment times over conventional braces. LightBracket Metal now brings those benefits to the majority of the $4.7 billion market, with 65% of patients worldwide who choose metal, including teens.
LightBracket Metal is created using a proprietary 3D metal printing process. Each bracket is generated from the orthodontist’s digital treatment plan and individualized across six dimensions: bracket base, slot height, slot prescription, bracket position, tie wings, and hooks. The base conforms to the morphology of the individual tooth. Three slot sizes are available (.018”, .020”, .022”) with bidimensional combinations. A lower-profile design with a breakthrough patient-specific tie-wing and hook delivers improved comfort and reduced debond rates. Algorithmically generated indirect bonding trays enable staff-delegated bonding.
“In my practice, I care deeply about providing individualized care for my patients. With LightBracket Metal, I am now able to provide that level of care with a patient-specific metal bracket system that is generated from my digital treatment plan,” said Dr. Jacquee Schieck at Schieck Orthodontics.
"For decades, every patient got the same bracket. That ends now. We are accelerating toward a future where the very idea of a universal, one-size-fits-all bracket is unthinkable,” said James Lawton, president of LightForce Orthodontics.
LightBracket Metal is now rolling out to orthodontic practices. Providers can contact LightForce here to request a demonstration and gain early access. Patients interested in LightForce treatment can consult their orthodontist to see if LightForce solutions are available in their area.
See LightBracket Metal Live
LightForce will debut LightBracket Metal at the AAO Annual Session 2026, May 1 through 3, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Live demonstrations and hands-on access will be given at booth 1261. LightForce leadership and clinical team members will be available for conversations and media interviews throughout the event. To schedule a demonstration, contact LightForce here.
Join the Webinar
Join LightForce for an exclusive first look at LightBracket Metal on May 7, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The webinar will include a product unveiling from LightForce CEO Dr. Alfred Griffin, an innovation deep dive with Head of Clinical Affairs, Dr. Chris Bonebreak Jackson, a case review with Dr. Alex Waldman, and an interactive panel discussion with contributing doctors. To reserve a spot, sign up here.
To learn more about LightForce’s offerings, visit https://lf.co/.
