Bracket positioning and resets: five steps to align crowns and roots consistently

Abstract

Orthodontists strive for accurate bracket positioning because it makes achieving a superior occlusion easier. Whether one uses a direct or an indirect bonding technique, the initial appliance placement typically includes some bracket-positioning errors. The clinician either corrects these errors during treatment or tediously repeats archwire bends to compensate for the misplaced brackets. The clinician should assess bracket positioning early in treatment by clinical and radiographic evaluations and then correct all positioning errors during a single dedicated reset appointment. This article describes a 5-step protocol for assessing and correcting bracket-positioning errors.