Treatment time, outcome, and anchorage loss comparisons of self-ligating and conventional brackets.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the treatment time, outcome, and anchorage loss among orthodontic patients treated by self-ligating brackets (SLBs) and conventional brackets (CBs).


METHODS
A retrospective cohort study compared 34 patients (SLB group) treated by SmartClip brackets (3M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif) to 35 patients (CB group) treated by conventional preadjusted Victory series brackets (3M Unitek) and ligated by stainless steel wire ligatures. Pretreatment (T1) and posttreatment (T2) lateral cephalograms were traced and analyzed using Pancherz sagittal-occlusion analysis to obtain skeletal and dental changes in the maxilla and the mandible. The dental cast models were assessed by the Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) Index for the treatment outcomes.


RESULTS
The mean treatment time for SLBs (19.19 months) did not show a statistically significant difference from 21.25 months of CBs; the treatment time and pretreatment PAR scores were strongly correlated. There was no difference in anchorage loss between the SLB and CB groups. There were significant dental and skeletal changes among adolescent orthodontic patients regardless of the bracket used. The lingual inclination of the mandibular incisors in the CB group was 3.62° more than in the SLB group (P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
The treatment time and anchorage loss are not influenced by the type of bracket used. There are significant dental and skeletal changes among adolescent orthodontic patients regardless of the bracket used. There is significantly greater lingual inclination of mandibular incisors in the CB group than in the SLB group.
Jilin University College of Dentistry, Changchun, China.
Ferdinand M
FM
Machibya
Xingfu
X
Bao
Lihua
L
Zhao
Min
M
Hu
D000293:Adolescent; D002508:Cephalometry; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000628:therapy; D008334:Mandible; D052280:Orthodontic Anchorage Procedures; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design; D016910:Orthodontic Brackets; D018024:Peer Review, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014087:Tooth Movement Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome