Clinical evaluation of different digital indirect bonding trays in terms of bracket positioning accuracy

This study aimed to compare clinically transfer trays produced using direct and indirect digital techniques in terms of bracket position accuracy. Twenty-eight patients with permanent dentition were included in this split-mouth study. The initial model in which the brackets were digitally positioned was superimposed with the post-bonding digital models using the GOM Inspect program. Both linear and angular transfer errors were calculated in this study. Data were statistically analyzed. The linear transfer errors of brackets bonded with both direct and indirect digital techniques were the lowest in the buccolingual and the highest in the incisogingival directions. For angular transfer errors, the lowest values were observed in rotation and the highest in torque measurements. For both techniques, angular transfer errors were found to be more than linear ones. Brackets with indirect digital technique had significantly higher transfer errors than those with bonded directly, especially in the incisogingival, buccolingual and rotation directions. The majority of brackets were displaced buccally in the buccolingual, incisally in the incisogingival and mesially in the mesiodistal directions. Angularly, most brackets were tipped and rotated towards the mesial. While most brackets bonded using the direct digital technique exhibited palatal crown torque, the majority of indirectly bonded brackets showed buccal crown torque. Although the various forms of digital transfer trays provided reliable results in terms of bracket position accuracy, directly produced transfer trays were found to be more effective. Keywords: Bracket, Digital indirect bonding, Transfer tray