Self-Ligating Bracket Positioning

Bracket placement of Self-Ligating Brackets (SLB) is related to the long axis of the clinical crown as in typical straight wire type brackets and appliances. SLB brackets are designed to be located on the center of each clinical crown, vertically and horizontally. The middle of the horizontal slot of each bracket should be positioned at the horizontal center of the clinical crown. Thus, as described by Andrews (developer of the straight wire appliance (SWA), SWA brackets were designed to fit to the middle of each anatomical crown of a specific tooth.

The idea for SWA was to provide for a uniform approach to establish consistency in orthodontics. As Andrews described: to be consistent with normal. Or, the best nature could provide without treating orthodontically. The basic premise of SLB is simply to make the treatment go faster by using a bracket that reduced play in the arch wires and allows the wires to be more functional over the entire time the wire is engaged into the bracket. This is an attempt that improves greatly over brackets that engage arch wires using elastics.