Self-ligating brackets and friction in vivo : micro-morphological and chemical assessment of active slot surface

Abstract

The use of self-ligating brackets has largely developed in orthodontic practice thanks to numerous advantages, including the reduction of frictional forces during sliding orthodontic mechanic. Faced with scientific evidence, this advantage still seems to be debatable. Our objective was to evaluate in vivo the frictional force of self-ligating brackets by searching for micro-morphological and chemical effects on the active slot surface, after phase of alignment-leveling and after a period in the mouth. 16 brackets from four commercial brands were selected (Damon®, In-Ovation®, Smart-clip® and Carriere®). These brackets were visualized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and dispersive energy spectroscopy to study their surface and initial chemical composition. After a period in the mouth, these brackets were debonded and evaluated with SEM, to search topographic and chemical changes in relation to the frictional forces. After a period of three months used for dental alignment, all the brackets show considerable changes in topographic and chemical properties related to frictional forces, with deposit of organic debris whose importance is related to the initial surface different from one manufacturer to another.