OBJETIVO: o objetivo desse trabalho foi comparar as forças de atrito entre fios NiTi 0,014" (Aditek) com deformações horizontais de 4mm, e braquetes com diferentes sistemas de ligação dos arcos. MÉTODOS: foram testados 4 tipos de braquetes autoligáveis (Damon MX, Easy Clip, Smart Clip e In-Ovation), um braquete triplo (Synergy) e um braquete gêmeo com amarrilho 8 (Tecnident). Como grupo controle, foi utilizado braquete gêmeo com ligadura elástica convencional (Morelli). Foram executadas 10 repetições em cada combinação arco/braquete. As forças de atrito foram medidas em máquina de tração universal Instron, com velocidade de 3mm/minuto e deslocamento total de 6mm. Para análise estatística, usou-se a ANOVA e o Teste de Comparações Múltiplas de Dunnett. RESULTADOS: as forças de atrito por deformação do fio se mostraram crescentes na seguinte ordem: Synergy, Damon, amarrilho 8, Easy Clip, In-Ovation, Smart-Clip e ligadura convencional. As diferenças entre todos os grupos foram estatisticamente significantes, com exceção do Amarrilho 8 em relação aos grupos Damon e Easy Clip. CONCLUSÃO: em relação à ligadura convencional, todos os sistemas de fechamento das canaletas testados são eficientes em reduzir a força de atrito, porém, tal redução varia significativamente de acordo com o sistema de fechamento da canaleta selecionado.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to compare the frictional forces between 0.014-in NiTi wires (Aditek) with 4 mm horizontal deflection and brackets with different archwire ligation systems. METHODS: Four types of self-ligating brackets (Damon MX, Easy Clip, Smart Clip and In-Ovation), a triple bracket (Synergy) and a twin bracket with 8-shaped ligature (Tecnident) were tested. Twin brackets with conventional elastomeric ligatures (Morelli) were used as control group. Tests were repeated 10 times for each bracket/archwire combination. Frictional forces were measured in an Instron universal tensile machine at 3 mm/minute speed and a total displacement of 6 mm. Statistical analysis comprised ANOVA and Dunnett's multiple comparison post hoc test. RESULTS: Deflection-induced frictional (DIF) forces increased in the following order: Synergy, Damon, 8-shaped Ligature, Easy Clip, In-Ovation, Smart-Clip and conventional ligatures. The differences among groups were significant, with the exception of the 8-shaped ligature groups which was equal to the Damon and Easy Clip groups. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to conventional ligatures, all ligation systems tested reduced frictional forces. However, such reduction varied according to the ligation system employed.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare three alternative methods for controlling classical friction: Self-ligating brackets (SLB), special brackets (SB) and special elastomeric ligatures (SEB). METHODS: The study compared Damon MX, Smart Clip, In-Ovation and Easy Clip self-ligating bracket systems, the special Synergy brackets and Morelli's twin bracket with special 8-shaped elastomeric ligatures. New and used Morelli brackets with new and used elastomeric ligatures were used as control. All brackets had 0.022 x 0.028-in slots. 0.014-in nickel-titanium and stainless steel 0.019 x 0.025-in wires were tied to first premolar steel brackets using each archwire ligation method and pulled by an Instron machine at a speed of 0.5 mm/minute. Prior to the mechanical tests the absence of binding in the device was ruled out. Statistical analysis consisted of the Kruskal-Wallis test and multiple non-parametric analyses at a 1% significance level. RESULTS: When a 0.014-in archwire was employed, all ligation methods exhibited classical friction forces close to zero, except Morelli brackets with new and old elastomeric ligatures, which displayed 64 and 44 centiNewtons, respectively. When a 0.019 x 0.025-in archwire was employed, all ligation methods exhibited values close to zero, except the In-Ovation brackets, which yielded 45 cN, and the Morelli brackets with new and old elastomeric ligatures, which displayed 82 and 49 centiNewtons, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Damon MX, Easy Clip, Smart Clip, Synergy bracket systems and 8-shaped ligatures proved to be equally effective alternatives for controlling classical friction using 0.014-in nickel-titanium archwires and 0.019 x 0.025-in steel archwires, while the In-Ovation was efficient with 0.014-in archwires but with 0.019 x 0.025-in archwires it exhibited friction that was similar to conventional brackets with used elastomeric ligatures.