At Limestone Hills Orthodontics in Austin, TX, a modern room features an orange dental chair, cabinets, and sunlight from the window.
Invented by Your Orthodontist
Peer-Reviewed in 5+ Journals
$1.5 Million Jury Verdict Confirmed Inventorship

SmartArch™: The Science Behind Up to 40% Faster Treatment

SmartArch™ is a calibrated nickel-titanium archwire system that delivers tooth-specific force levels matched to each tooth’s biological tolerance. The result, demonstrated across published clinical research, is a treatment phase that moves teeth up to 40% faster than conventional single-force archwire systems while reducing the typical follow-up appointment count. Dr. Viecilli co-invented the underlying force-calibration method during his PhD research and received samples in limited quantity as the inventor.
*Free consultation for new patients only. Patients in treatment $150, deductible from the comprehensive treatment fee.
Milo Hellman Award (AAO, 2009) · 1,000+ Academic Citations · Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics
Home / Technology / SmartArch™

Why most archwires fight the bone, not the tooth

Conventional nickel-titanium archwires deliver a single force value across every tooth on the arch. Premolars, canines, incisors, and molars all receive the same level of force regardless of root surface area or surrounding bone density. The result is an uneven response: some teeth move quickly while others resist or experience root resorption from over-loading.

Finite-element modeling has shown the optimal force varies by 5-fold across a single dental arch when matched to each tooth’s periodontal ligament. Wires that deliver one force value waste biological tolerance on small-rooted teeth and underdeliver on multi-rooted molars. Treatment time stretches across both the over-stressed and under-stressed extremes.

What SmartArch™ does differently

SmartArch™ wires are manufactured with calibrated segment-by-segment force levels: the canine portion delivers a different force value than the incisor portion, which differs again from the molar portion. Each tooth receives the force calibrated to its biology rather than the average across the arch.

Dr. Viecilli developed the underlying calibration approach during his PhD work with Dr. Charles Burstone at the University of Connecticut. The work was patented and licensed to Smarter Alloys for manufacturing; the wires are now distributed by Ormco. Dr. Viecilli received complimentary samples as the inventor in limited quantity.

Sample availability has not affected case selection. Cases are selected for SmartArch™ based on clinical fit (multi-tooth movement asymmetry, root-resorption risk, treatment-time priority) rather than wire stock.

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Faster Aligning Phase
Olsen, JCO 2020
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More Correction vs Conventional
Sarver and Roberts, 2019
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Instead of 4 to 6
Ormco Protocol

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Foundational Research

Ideal orthodontic alignment load relationships based on periodontal ligament stress
Viecilli RF, Burstone CJ
Orthodontics and Craniofacial Research, 2015
Calculated the ideal force each tooth needs based on periodontal ligament stress modeling. These force values became the design targets for the seven SmartArch™ force zones.
PubMed →
DOI →

Clinical Evidence

SmartArch™ multi-force archwires: A new paradigm in orthodontics
Roberts WE, Roberts JA, Tracey S, Sarver DM
J Digital Orthodontics, 2019
First clinical case series using SmartArch™. Reported efficient deep-bite correction with a single continuous wire instead of staged wire changes.
SmartArch™ multi-force superelastic archwires: Treatment efficiency
Olsen ME
Journal of Clinical Orthodontics, 2020
Reported up to 50% faster aligning phase. Deep-bite correction in approximately 90 days using a single SmartArch™ wire.
JCO →

Randomized Controlled Trials (2024)

Laser-engineered copper nickel-titanium versus superelastic nickel-titanium aligning archwires (RCT)
PubMed Central, 2024 (PMC10811358)
Randomized controlled trial. SmartArch™ matched conventional alignment outcomes using a single archwire instead of two.
Full Text →
SmartArch™, copper nickel-titanium, and nickel-titanium efficiency in mandibular crowding (Double-Blinded RCT)
PubMed Central, 2024 (PMC11698240)
Double-blinded 39-patient randomized controlled trial comparing SmartArch™ against two other archwire types in mandibular crowding cases.
Full Text →

From Research to Your Braces

Early 2000s
Dr. Viecilli began collaborating with Dr. Charles Burstone, who had proposed a variable-force archwire concept in the 1970s. The manufacturing technology to build one did not yet exist.
2006–2010
Dr. Viecilli completed a PhD in Orthodontic Biomechanics at Indiana University. The American Association of Orthodontists awarded him the Milo Hellman Award in 2009 for orthodontic research.
2015
Foundational research published in Orthodontics and Craniofacial Research. Smarter Alloys began laser manufacturing of the calibrated wire.
2016
Patent filing published as US20160287354A1.
2019
Ormco licensed SmartArch™ for commercial distribution. The first peer-reviewed clinical case series was published.
2024
A federal jury awarded $1.5 million, confirming inventorship. Two independent randomized controlled trials were published.

A Federal Jury Confirmed the Inventor

$1.5 Million
Federal Jury Verdict — June 2024
The jury confirmed Smarter Alloys breached their contract. Deliberation lasted approximately one hour.
Public record: Case link. Coverage: Womble Bond Dickinson.

Why Most Practices Do Not Carry SmartArch™

SmartArch™ is not stocked at most general orthodontic offices. Distribution is selective, and Dr. Viecilli received samples in limited quantity as the inventor for clinical use during the early rollout. Patients seeking SmartArch™ in the Austin area should confirm wire availability directly with the practice during the free consultation.

Limestone Hills selects SmartArch™ for cases where the calibrated-force advantage matters clinically: cases with significant tooth-size asymmetry across the arch, cases at elevated root-resorption risk, and patients prioritizing treatment-time reduction. Cases where conventional NiTi performs equivalently are treated with conventional wires; the clinical decision is made per-case at the consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who invented SmartArch™?

Dr. Rodrigo Viecilli co-invented SmartArch with Dr. Charles Burstone during PhD-era biomechanics research. The patent was acquired by Smarter Alloys, and Ormco distributes the wire commercially.

How much faster is SmartArch™?

Up to 50% faster aligning phase per published clinical research. Up to 40% reduction in overall treatment time depending on case complexity and individual response.

Is SmartArch™ supported by peer-reviewed research?

Yes. Five-plus peer-reviewed publications including two randomized controlled trials published in 2024. All publications are indexed on PubMed.

Why don’t more orthodontists use SmartArch™?

The patented laser process programs each wire individually, making it expensive to manufacture and limited in supply. As the inventor, Dr. Viecilli received samples in limited quantity and includes the wire in every braces case at Limestone Hills at no additional cost.

Did Dr. Viecilli win a lawsuit related to SmartArch™?

Yes. A federal jury awarded $1.5 million in June 2024 confirming inventorship in Case No. 1:19-CV-00607-LJV.