## 4 Discussion  
To the best of our knowledge, no prior studies have directly investigated the use of a colorimetric system to monitor aligner discoloration as an objective indicator of patient compliance in orthodontic treatment. This study represents the first attempt to integrate such a technique into orthodontics, offering an innovative and non-invasive approach to assess patient compliance. Specifically, the application of the RGB color model to evaluate discoloration in night-time aligners stands out as a novel contribution. The RGB system--widely employed in digital displays such as monitors, televisions, and smartphones \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c c c} \hline  & **7 H** & **12 H** & **Average of** & **SD of** & **Test** & **\(p\) Value** \\  & **Average** & **Average** & **Differences** & **Differences** & **Statistic** & \(p\) Value** \\ \hline Overall Mean & 173.72 & 160.09 & \(-\)13.6333 & 5.3563 & \(-\)8.0489 & \(<\)0.001 \\ Upper Arch & 172.8 & 159.23 & \(-\)13.5667 & 6.3129 & \(-\)6.7958 & \(<\)0.001 \\ Lower Arch & 174.64 & 160.93 & \(-\)13.7 & 5.1889 & \(-\)8.3492 & \(<\)0.001 \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 10: Paired \(t\)-test for each of the three conditions: overall mean, upper arch, and lower arch. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline  & **Upper Arch** & **Lower Arch** & **Average of** & **SD of** & **Test** & **\(p\) Value** \\  & **Upper Arch** & **Lower Arch** & **Differences** & **Differences** & **Test Statistic** & \(p\) Value** \\ \hline
7 H & 172.8 & 174.63 & 1.8333 & 3.8241 & 1.52 & \(>\)0.1 \\
12 H & 159.23 & 160.93 & 1.7 & 6.7831 & 0.7925 & \(>\)0.1 \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 11: Paired \(t\)-test between upper and lower arch within the same protocol. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline  & **Control** & **12 H** & **Average of** & **SD of** & **Test** & **\(p\) Value** \\  & **Average** & **Differences** & **Differences** & **Statistic** & \(p\) Value \\ \hline Overall Mean & 205 & 160.08 & \(-\)44.92 & 4.9 & \(-\)29.01 & \(<\)0.001 \\ Upper Arch & 205 & 159.23 & \(-\)45.77 & 6.05 & \(-\)23.92 & \(<\)0.001 \\ Lower Arch & 205 & 160.93 & \(-\)44.07 & 5.86 & \(-\)23.78 & \(<\)0.001 \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 9: Comparison between T0 and T1 for the 12 H protocol for each of the three conditions: overall mean, upper arch, and lower arch. provides a high sensitivity and precision in detecting chromatic changes, thereby enabling the development of personalized diagnostic tools. Although this study marks the first application of the RGB system in this specific context, the existing literature includes related studies employing different methodologies to explore similar themes. For instance, two different studies by [PERSON] et al. and [PERSON] et al. examined the use of compliance indicators with Invisalign Teen aligners, incorporating a food dye (eriogalucine disodium salt) into the aligner polymer matrix. This dye underwent degradation when exposed to oral fluids, resulting in a color change intended to reflect wear duration. However, due to significant variability in color fading, it remains unclear whether the observed variations were the result of differences in wear time--resulting from poor patient compliance--or whether unknown factors influenced the fading of the dye [26; 27]. In a different line of inquiry, [PERSON] et al. investigated whether remote monitoring using the Dental Monitoring system could improve patient adherence, compared to conventional in-office follow-up. Their findings revealed no statistically significant differences in compliance between the two groups [28]. In contrast, a 2022 study by [PERSON] et al. demonstrated that incorporating electronic reminders into remote monitoring protocols significantly enhanced patient compliance. These reminders served as behavioral prompts to wear the aligners regularly, reinforcing adherence [29]. However, this approach is not applicable to the NOXI Aligner system, which is specifically designed for night-time use only.