A comparison of treatment time and number of appointments in active self-ligating brackets and conventonally ligated twin edgewise brackets

The use of self-ligating brackets has become widespread in orthodontics, and manufacturers claim that they are more efficient. There are two main types of self-ligating brackets---active and passive. Most of the previous studies on self-ligating bracket efficiency have involved passive self-ligating brackets, and the few available studies involving active self-ligating brackets include multiple confounding variables. In the current retrospective study, treatment time and number of appointments were compared between an active self-ligating appliance (In-OvationRTM R RTM GAC International, Bohemia, NY) and a conventionally ligated appliance (American Orthodontics, Sheboygan, WI) in the non-extraction orthodontic treatment of Caucasian females (ages 11-24 yr). Patients included were treated in a private orthodontic practice with one provider. Treatment times were calculated using the patients' banding date and debanding date, and the number of appointments (including emergency appointments) was counted. As indicated by independent sample t-tests, there was no significant difference (p=0.18) in treatment time between the In-OvationRTM R (25.19 months) and conventional (24.14) groups. However, In-OvationRTM R cases required significantly (p<0.001) fewer appointments compared to the conventionally ligated cases (17.52 and 26.48, respectively). In this study, it is concluded that In-OvationRTM R active self-ligating brackets require fewer appointments to complete orthodontic treatment, but do not shorten overall treatment time.