The Story Behind InSmile Braces: From Dr. Tong’s Vision to InBrace and Beyond
How an idea at USC became a new approach to hidden braces, and why BigSmile Orthodontics in Chino is known as the birthplace of InSmile Braces.
An Idea Born at USC
Long before InSmile Braces became available to orthodontists and patients, the technology began as an idea from our very own Dr. Hongsheng Tong. As a faculty member at the University of Southern California (USC), Dr. Tong led multiple master’s thesis projects and continually explored ways to advance orthodontics through new appliance designs and digital technology.
Dr. Tong envisioned many innovative bracket concepts. One of those ideas was a customized lingual orthodontic system combining digitally planned tooth movement, specially designed brackets, and individually fabricated orthodontic wires. That vision eventually became InBrace, the predecessor to today’s InSmile Braces.
Turning Dr. Tong’s Vision Into a Working System
Dr. Tong worked with Dr. Robert Lee, now our associate orthodontist at BigSmile, fellow orthodontist Dr. John Pham, and two USC engineers to turn his concept into reality. Dr. Tong spent countless hours with Dr. Lee translating his ideas into bracket prototypes, Smartwire designs, and practical manufacturing methods.
During approximately two years of the early development period, Dr. Tong and Dr. Lee designed more than 100 versions of the bracket. Each iteration helped the team explore how to make a novel lingual appliance work reliably and predictably.
The earliest Smartwires were equally labor-intensive. Dr. Lee recalls that designing a single Smartwire on a computer could take several days. Once the digital design was complete, Dr. Tong could spend an additional week physically fabricating that one wire. What is now a far more streamlined process began with painstaking, hands-on experimentation and an extraordinary investment of time.
The project required more than creating a new bracket or wire. The team also had to determine how to manufacture customized appliances consistently and how to translate digital plans into actual orthodontic treatment.
The First Patients: BigSmile Orthodontics in Chino
After roughly two years of engineering and prototype development, the team moved from the laboratory into clinical treatment. For approximately the next two years, the initial patients were treated at Dr. Tong’s BigSmile Orthodontics practice in Chino, before the system expanded into broader beta testing with other orthodontists and ultimately a commercial launch.
Those early cases helped reveal what worked, what needed to change, and how the appliances behaved in real clinical situations. Dr. Tong refined the technology through direct patient care, using each experience to improve subsequent designs and treatment methods.
That history is why BigSmile Orthodontics proudly calls its Chino office the birthplace of InSmile Braces. The practice was not simply an early adopter; it was where the original technology first took shape in patient treatment.
Developing the Clinical Philosophy
Dr. Tong’s contribution extended beyond the conception and design of the physical appliances. He also conceived the original clinical philosophy and treatment protocols that shaped how the system would be used, including approaches to planning, mechanics, and troubleshooting.
As the technology expanded to other practices, Dr. Lee worked closely with Dr. Tong to further refine and standardize clinical protocols so that other orthodontists could adopt the system more easily. Many of these foundational concepts continue to inform InSmile treatment today.
From InBrace to InSmile Braces
The original technology was commercialized as InBrace. Dr. Tong served in several scientific and leadership capacities over its history, including original Chief Technology Officer, original Chief Medical Officer, Principal Orthodontic Scientist, and later Clinical Advisor. Dr. Lee also remained involved in clinical development and training as a Clinical Advisor.
After the original InBrace company ceased operations in April 2025, the intellectual property and assets were acquired and the technology was relaunched as InSmile Braces in August 2025. Although the name and company changed, the system’s origins trace back to Dr. Tong’s vision and the original USC development team.
Today, Dr. Tong continues to consult for InSmile Braces, while Dr. Lee serves as its Chief Medical Officer. Their involvement reflects a rare continuity from the earliest prototypes to the current technology.
Experience InSmile Where It Began
Patients at BigSmile Orthodontics have the opportunity to be treated by Dr. Tong, the principal originator of the technology behind InSmile Braces, and Dr. Lee, an original co-inventor who helped develop the brackets, Smartwires, and clinical protocols.
From more than 100 early bracket designs to Smartwires that once required days of computer work and a week of fabrication, the journey to today’s InSmile system reflects years of invention, persistence, and clinical learning.
The same practice where lingual braces first moved from concept to clinical reality continues to treat patients today. If you’re interested in discreet orthodontic treatment, we invite you to experience InSmile Braces where it all began. Schedule a complimentary consultation at BigSmile Orthodontics in Chino or Riverside.
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