| Summary: | AIMS: The primary aim was to assess and compare mandibular arch width changes between self-ligating and non-self-ligating brackets using superelastic nickel titanium archwires. DESIGN: Single-centre prospective randomised controlled clinical trial. SETTING: Orthodontic department, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth. PARTICIPANTS: 92 consecutive patients seen in the department who fulfilled the selection criteria. INTERVENTIONS: All patients were treated with upper and lower fixed appliances on a nonextraction basis. Patients were randomly assigned to Damon Q self-ligating or Orthos non-selfligating brackets in a ratio 1:1. Both groups received the same archwire sequence. Impressions were taken pre-treatment (TO) and 8 weeks after placement of the following archwires: 0.014// CuNiTi (TlL 0.014// x 0.025// CuNiTi (T2L 0.018// x 0.025// CuNiTi (T3). OUTCOME MEASURES: Intercanine, first and second interpremolar and intermolar widths were measured at all timepoints using digital callipers and a three-dimensional laser scanner. Perceived pain and anxiety levels were measured using questionnaires. Any breakages occurring during the study were recorded. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between Damon Q and Orthos in lower intercanine width at Tl (calliper p=0.031; laser p=O.017L T2 (calliper p=0.006; laser p=O.027) and T3 (calliper p=0.002; laser p=O.OOl); lower second interpremolar width at T3 (calliper p=0.009; laser p=0.009) and lower intermolar width at T3 (laser p=0.036). Orthos had the higher value for all of these differences. No findings were considered clinically significant. Pain scores were significantly higher for Orthos at TO, significantly higher for Damon at Tl, with no significant difference at T2. There was no significant difference in anxiety scores between the 2 groups. A record of breakages showed that Damon had more IIArchwire out// and Orthos 110 ring// failures than would be expected. CONCLUSION: There is no clinically significant difference between Damon Q self-ligating and Orthos non-self-ligating brackets in arch width changes when using superelastic nickel titanium archwires.
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