Self-ligating Fixed Appliances

Self-ligating braces are a special type of brace which consist of brackets which are capable of holding the archwire by means of a sliding clip built into the bracket (e.g. Damon™ braces).

Conventional orthodontic brackets use either a coloured elastic band or a small wire tie to hold the archwire in place.

There are a number of claimed advantages to using self-ligating brackets in preference to conventional brackets: faster brace treatment, fewer treatment appointments, greater patient comfort and less need to remove teeth to correct any crowding present.

However, research shows that these claims are not necessarily proven, however, these braces remain very popular and may be easier for patients to keep clean due to there being no elastic bands to attract more plaque deposits.