AESTHETIC SELF-LIGATING BRACKETS

What are aesthetic self-ligating brackets?

Aesthetic self-ligating brackets are brackets that do not require ligatures or bands. Their arches are held by a clip that exercises sufficient pressure to return the tooth to a position that guarantees the correction of teeth defects.

But furthermore, this type of brackets are made of a material that goes unnoticed by third parties, such as resin or polycarbonate. The colour, texture and size of these materials are a perfect imitation of teeth, giving the sensation that the patient is not wearing brackets. This is the big difference with traditional metallic brackets, which can be seen.

With regard to their effectiveness, aesthetic self-ligating brackets guarantee a similar degree of efficiency as the remaining classical orthodontic treatments, with the advantage that the latter generate a lot less friction, allowing teeth to be aligned quicker.

Types of aesthetic self-ligating brackets

Los brackets autoligables estéticos se diferencian entre sí tanto por el tipo de material Aesthetic self-ligating brackets are different from each other, both due to the type of material used in their manufacture and to the type of arch ligature. The most common materials are resin and polycarbonate. They all have in common that they are perfectly discreet and the brackets go unnoticed.

With regard to their design, we can classify them by two types – active and passive self-ligating brackets.

Active self-ligating brackets

These brackets directly embrace the arch’s wire exercising greater friction during the mechanical shifting.

Passive self-ligating brackets

Unlike the former, passive self-ligating brackets do not exercise pressure on the wire, which reduces friction.

Advantages of aesthetic self-ligating brackets

• The main advantages regarding other orthodontic treatments are their aesthetics, since they are transparent and are camouflaged better on the tooth’s surface area.
• They facilitate oral cleaning and hygiene, since the patient can access all areas of the mouth much more easily since they are not blocked by the bands typical of traditional brackets. This prevents certain future problems, such as the appearance of tooth decay.
• Visits to the specialist are much less frequent, especially due to the absence of bands, which are no longer reviewed.
• The discomfort is less than conventional treatments, precisely due to this absence of bands, which often fall off, causing the arch to free itself from the brackets and to stick into the soft tissue of the oral cavity.
• The duration of the treatment is reduced, since it is much more effective than conventional treatments.

Treatment phases involving aesthetic self-ligating brackets

The fitting of aesthetic self-ligating brackets is a full orthodontic treatment, so it is necessary to follow the same steps as classical treatments to guarantee their success. These are the different phases of the treatment:

1. Comprehensive study of the case, which begins when the patient attends the odontological clinic to correct any type of defect or malocclusion of their teeth. The specialist will carry out the necessary tests, backed by x-rays, the taking of intra-oral and extra-oral photographs or 3D moulds. With all this proof, a personalised diagnosis will be carried out regarding the improved orthodontic system.

2. The teeth are prepared for the fitting and cementing of the brackets, first by cleaning them and then by thoroughly drying the area. Subsequently, the brackets will be attached to the outside of the patient’s teeth, polymerising the bonding cement with a professional light lamp. After checking the correct positioning of the brackets, the arch is placed, together with the closing clips that will attach it to the brackets.

3. Alignment and levelling of teeth to, in this way, correct dental crowding problems.

4. Correction of the patient’s bite, when teeth are placed in their correct position in an anteroposterior and vertical direction.

5. Closure of possible spaces between teeth to achieve perfect alignment.

6. Finishing and completion, making minor adjustments to perfect the teeth, equalise roots, adapt individual tooth position or correct midline discrepancies.

7. Removal of brackets, once all the objectives have been attained.

8. Retention phase. To maintain the results of the orthodontic treatment, the specialist will recommend the use of retainers to perfectly conserve the new position of the patient’s teeth, avoiding further undesired alterations.

El uso de brackets autoligables, sean estéticos o no, simplifican de forma significativa este The use of self-ligating brackets, aesthetic or otherwise, significantly simplifies this treatment. Furthermore, they reduce visits to the specialist and, on the other hand, lessen the treatment time in all phases, which may be up to seven months less than a conventional treatment.