The effects of conventional and self-ligating bracket systems on dental arch changes and tooth movement during levelling and aligning: digital approach

BACKGROUND: To compare the effects of Damon Ultima, Damon Q2, and conventional bracket systems on maxillary dentoalveolar structures and the amount of tooth movement. METHODOLOGY: A total of 60 patients (24 males, 36 females) were treated with conventional, Damon Q2, and Damon Ultima brackets (20 patients per group). Intraoral scans were performed with iTero Element™ 2 before treatment, after using round archwires (12 weeks), and after using angular archwires (8 weeks). Arch length, intercanine and intermolar distances, tooth rotation, bucco-lingual inclination (BLI), and angulation changes were analyzed with a 3D accuracy program (Geomagic Control X 2022, 3D Systems, USA). Comparative analyses between the groups were conducted using a one-way ANOVA (p < 0.05). RESULTS: In the intercanine and intermolar distance, significant differences were found (p < 0.05); however, in the arc length values, no difference was found between the groups (p = 0.270). In BLI and angulation changes, significant differences were observed between the groups. In the angulation movement of the incisor and premolar teeth, there was a significant difference in the Damon Q2 group (p = 0.021). In BLI movement of the incisors, there was significantly higher differences in the Damon groups (p = 0.001). No difference was observed between the groups (p > 0.05) in rotation movement. CONCLUSION: Inter-canine and inter-molar distance changes were significant in both Damon systems. BLI and angulation movements of premolars, as well as angulation movements of incisors, were effectively measured. No significant movements were observed in other tooth groups with different brackets.