An in vitro study comparing traditional and computer-aided bracket placement methods

Objectives. To compare the bracket placement ability of OrthoCAD IQ(TM) and traditional indirect bonding by evaluating the quality of intra-arch dental alignment in simulated post-treatment set-ups. Materials. Forty-six sets of models were duplicated from an artificially fabricated malocclusion and randomly divided into two groups. Twenty-four sets had their bracket positions selected by OrthoCAD while the others were completed by a combination of faculty and residents in the department. Bracket position was transferred back to the original malocclusion following typical indirect bonding protocol. The teeth within each sample were ligated on .021 x .025 inch stainless steel archwires to simulate their post-treatment positions and post-treatment setups were measured using the Objective Grading System. Results. No statistical difference was found between mean total scores or any of the four components. Conclusion. OrthoCAD iQ does not currently offer a system that positions orthodontic brackets better or more reliably than traditional indirect bonding techniques.