title: Self-ligating appliances: evolution or revolution?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the literature relating to self-ligating orthodontic appliances.
  
  
  METHODS
  Narrative review of the relevant historic and contemporary research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Proposed advantages of these appliance systems include reduced friction, more efficient mechanotherapy, improved operator efficiency, and more secure ligation. Randomised clinical trials investigating these potential advantages have largely been equivocal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-ligating brackets are here to stay and continue to be refined and enhanced. Further prospective studies investigating their clinical application and performance would be welcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Royal London Hospital, London, United Kingdom. padhraigfleming@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Padhraig S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: Andrew T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: DiBiase
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D017276:Friction; D006801:Humans; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design; D016910:Orthodontic Brackets; D019415:Torque