title: Orthodontic apps at fingertips.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Smartphone usage has spread to many settings including that of healthcare and dentistry with numerous potential and realized benefits. The ability to download custom-built software applications (apps) has created new opportunities for orthodontists to integrate technology into clinical practice and patients to collect the information about orthodontics and help them during their treatment. The purpose of this study is to provide a summary of the orthodontic apps currently available for orthodontic patients as well as 'practicing clinicians'.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three smartphones and two tablets were used to search three operating systems (Android, Apple, and Windows) using the keywords 'braces', 'orthodontist', 'model analysis', and 'orthodontics'.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Android and Apple operating systems accumulate all of the apps that are thought to be related to orthodontic clinicians and patients. Clinician's apps (17) are those related to orthodontic news (2), publication (4), products (3), and diagnosis (4) and practice management (3) while patient apps (17) are those related to orthodontic education (4), simulator (5), related to reminding patients about elastic wear (3), progress tracker of treatment (4), and orthodontic products (1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the generation of technology, the use of smartphones and tablets has made life simple. The use of these technologies can be a boon both for the orthodontist and the patients as it aids both in treatment planning and progress in enhancing the treatment outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Rural Dental College, Loni 413736, , Maharashtra, India. mayuresh295@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mayuresh Jagannath
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Baheti
authors.forename: Nandlal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Toshniwal
mesh_terms: D040421:Cell Phone; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D006801:Humans; D063731:Mobile Applications / Q000145:classification*; D009970:Orthodontics; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017010:Reminder Systems; D012984:Software