A comparative computed tomographic evaluation of expression of angulation and inclination in self ligating brackets

Introduction: An important objective of orthodontic treatment is to obtain the correct angulation and inclination for all the teeth. Very few studies have been conducted so far comparing the expression of angulation and inclination in conventional and self-ligating brackets (SLBs). The present study was designed to evaluate and compare the inclination and angulation in conventional brackets and active and passive SLBs. Materials and Methods: Totally 21 patients who required four 1st premolar extractions were selected and were randomly allotted to three groups: Group 1: Conventional Brackets (3M Unitek MBT) (mean age 19.14 ± 2.12 years), Group 2: Passive Brackets (Smart Clip Brackets-3M Unitek MBT) (mean age 19.71 ± 1.80 years), Group 3: Active Brackets (Empower Brackets-American Orthodontics MBT) (mean age 18.29 ± 2.29 years) computed tomographic records were collected before the start of treatment, after leveling and aligning and at 6 months into retraction. Results: The data were evaluated using SPSS version 16.0 using one-way ANOVA and post hoc Bonferroni tests. There was no statistically significant difference in the expression of angulation and inclination in conventional, active, and passive SLB systems. Conclusion: Self-ligating brackets seem to be no better than conventional brackets when it comes to the expression of angulation and inclination