INFLUENCE OF DAMON AND CONVENTIONALBRACKETS ON SOFT TISSUES AND SMILE ESTHETICS ENSUING NON-EXTRACTION TREATMENT

Objectives: Facial and smile esthetics are the principal reasons nowadays for which patients pursue orthodontic treatment and so, the knowledge of the effects of orthodontic treatment on facial esthetics is of paramount importance to orthodontists. Orthodontic literature contains more studies comparing the effects of Damon and Conventional MBT brackets on skeletal and dental structures than on soft tissues and smile esthetics. This study aims to evaluate and compare soft tissues and smile esthetic changes in non-extraction cases treated using Damon and Conventional MBT brackets. Methods: Thirty participants were divided into 2 groups, Group I comprised of 15 subjects treated using Damon brackets and Group II comprised of 15 subjects treated using Conventional MBT brackets. Smile esthetic parameters were evaluated on frontal smiling photographs in form of ratios while linear and angular measurements were made on lateral cephalograms. Results: For soft tissue parameters, in Damon group, labrale inferior to E-line and Na-Pog line increased significantly, sulcus inferior to E-Line decreased significantly and nasolabial angle increased significantly. In conventional group, labrale superior to Na-Pog line increased significantly and upper lip length increased significantly. When mean treatment changes in both groups were compared, no significant difference in any linear or angular soft tissue parameters was found except for significant increase in E-Line to labrale inferior in Damon group. For smile esthetic scores, visible dentition width to smile width ratio increased significantly in damon group while smile height to smile width ratio decreased significantly in conventional group. When mean treatment changes in both groups were compared, no significant difference was found. Conclusions: Both soft tissue and smile esthetics finished in a similar manner after treatment and so, the overall choice of non-extraction treatment modality should not be dependent on the type of bracket system.