Lightforce Orthodontics to advance production of 3D printed braces system with 80 million USD funding

by Sam Davies

2 August 2023

14:00

Lightforce Orthodontics, developers of fully personalised 3D printed braces systems, has announced the raising of 80 million USD in its Series D funding round.

This latest investment, which follows the raising of 50 million USD in 2021 and 14 million USD in 2020, was led by Ally Bridge Group, Transformation Capital and CareCapital. Omega Venture Partners, Matter Venture Partners and the American Association of Orthodontics also participated in the round along with existing investors Kleiner Perkins, Tyche Partners and Matrix Partners.

With this financial backing, Lightforce says it will look to scale production of its custom 3D printed brackets with a new facility, while advancing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in its workflows and investing in education. The company launched commercial operations in 2020 with a mission of changing a nearly century-old approach to braces with 3D printing and AI.

Its offering to the orthodontics market are 3D printed brackets, custom-made according to a personalised, digital treatment plan. AI is deployed in the LightForce software to generate accurate digital representations of patient anatomy and optimal teeth positions for ‘clinical efficiency and aesthetics.’ This offering is set to be bolstered by a new 36,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Wilmington, Massachusetts, with LightForce also looking to leverage the latest round of funding to grow its engineering and science teams. It will also invest in clinical education resources that aim to provide orthodontists with the ‘skills and technology required’ to transition from ‘stock one-size-fits all braces to a fully digital practice.’

“This incredible syndicate of investors brings diverse expertise from the medical device, health IT, AI, and advanced manufacturing sectors to provide critical resources and expert guidance that will support our overall growth and continued innovation,” commented LightForce CEO and co-founder Alfred Griffin III, DMD, Ph.D., MMSc. “Teen patients have been limited by the inaccuracy and inefficiency of non-custom braces for decades. LightForce was founded to provide fully personalised treatment options to orthodontists for each of their patients to improve their outcomes and experience while in treatment. With this funding, LightForce will continue to attract key talent, innovate through our incredible community of orthodontists, and scale operations as we seek to elevate the standard of care for teen orthodontic treatment.”

“LightForce is taking the orthodontic industry to the next level,” added Kevin Reilly, Managing Director at Ally Bridge Group. “Their solution applies highly innovative technologies to enable the personalisation of orthodontic treatment via 3D printing, helping patients achieve their best smiles. We are excited to be part of a diverse group of top-tier healthcare and tech investors that believe in the benefits of personalised medicine in the orthodontic industry. The future of orthodontics is customisation and digital workflow and we are excited to see the continued enhancement in patient care through this funding.”

by Sam Davies

2 August 2023

14:00

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