Last updated: March 2026
Every orthodontist will tell you their bracket system is the best one. That is not a useful answer for someone trying to figure out what self-ligating braces actually are and whether they are worth choosing.
Dr. Patel uses Empower self-ligating brackets at Tooth By Tooth in Cary. He has used them long enough to know what they genuinely do better, where the claims in the brochures outrun the evidence, and what patients actually notice in the chair. That is what this article covers.
What Are Self-Ligating Braces?
Self-ligating braces are a type of fixed braces where the bracket itself holds the archwire in place using a built-in clip or sliding door mechanism. In traditional braces, small elastic ties (called ligatures) wrap around each bracket to hold the wire. Self-ligating brackets eliminate those ties entirely. The wire sits inside a channel that closes with a clip, allowing it to slide more freely as it works.
There are two types: passive self-ligating brackets, which allow the wire to slide with minimal contact, and active self-ligating brackets, which apply a small amount of pressure to the wire. Most systems in common use today are passive.
How Self-Ligating Braces Work Differently from Traditional Braces
The key difference is friction. In traditional braces, elastic ties grip the wire tightly. Every time the wire tries to slide through a bracket during tooth movement, it has to work against that grip. Over time and across many brackets, that friction adds up.
Self-ligating brackets reduce that friction. The wire sits in an open channel rather than being held by an elastic, so it can slide more freely as the teeth respond to treatment. Less resistance means the wire can express its full shape more continuously between adjustments.
This is not a minor engineering detail. It changes how the wire interacts with the brackets at every appointment and between appointments. It also changes what the adjustment visit looks like, which Dr. Patel’s patients notice quickly.
What Self-Ligating Braces Actually Do Better
Three things hold up consistently in clinical practice and in the research.
Adjustment appointments are faster. Removing and replacing elastic ties on 28 or more brackets takes time. With self-ligating brackets, the clip opens and closes quickly. Dr. Patel’s adjustment appointments run shorter as a result. For a patient in treatment for 18 months, that adds up across every single checkup.
Hygiene is easier to maintain. Elastic ties are small, porous, and excellent at trapping food and plaque. They are also impossible to clean thoroughly. Self-ligating brackets have no ties to trap debris, which means the area around each bracket is easier to clean and less likely to accumulate the plaque that leads to white spot lesions. For younger patients especially, this matters.
Lower friction supports more continuous tooth movement. Between appointments, a lower-friction system allows the wire to continue expressing its shape as the teeth respond. This is the most clinically meaningful advantage and the one that influences Dr. Patel’s preference most directly.
| Factor | Traditional Braces | Self-Ligating Braces |
|---|---|---|
| Wire retention | Elastic ligature ties | Built-in clip or sliding door |
| Friction level | Higher | Lower |
| Adjustment time | Longer (tie removal and replacement) | Faster (clip opens and closes) |
| Hygiene | Ties trap plaque | Easier to clean, no ties |
| Continuous tooth movement | Limited between visits | More consistent between visits |
| Cost | Lower | Slightly higher in most practices |
| Treatment duration | Standard | Claims vary (see below) |
Where the Marketing Gets Ahead of the Evidence
This is the part of the conversation most orthodontists skip. Self-ligating braces get marketed aggressively, and two claims show up everywhere: shorter treatment time and less pain.
On treatment time, multiple systematic reviews have examined the available evidence and found no consistent, clinically meaningful reduction in overall treatment duration for self-ligating brackets compared to conventional brackets. Some earlier retrospective studies suggested a few weeks of savings, but more recent and robust trials show little to no significant difference. In some included studies, treatment was actually slightly longer with self-ligating brackets, though not by a statistically significant margin. The honest summary: any time savings are modest at best and not reliably reproducible across cases.
On pain, the picture is similarly mixed. Some patients report less discomfort with self-ligating systems, likely because lower friction means gentler force application at each adjustment. But controlled studies have not established this as a consistent, reliable advantage. Individual variation is significant.
What this means practically: the case for self-ligating braces rests on the real advantages (hygiene, adjustment efficiency, continuous movement) and not on treatment time or pain claims that the research has not clearly confirmed.
Why Dr. Patel Uses Empower Self-Ligating Brackets
Dr. Patel uses the Empower bracket system at Tooth By Tooth. Empower is a self-ligating system that offers both passive and dual-activation configurations. He uses the passive self-ligating setup, which delivers the lowest friction profile of the available options. The choice was deliberate and is based on clinical performance, not marketing.
The friction reduction in passive self-ligating systems matches well with his treatment philosophy. He values continuous, gentle tooth movement over high-force, less-frequent adjustments. The Empower system allows him to work with lighter forces that are better tolerated by patients and, in his clinical experience, produce cleaner results in cases where precise control matters most.
The hygiene advantage is the other factor he weighs seriously. Clinical studies show that conventional elastomeric ligation harbors more plaque and higher counts of cariogenic bacteria around brackets than self-ligating clips. Research on white spot lesion incidence found lower rates with self-ligating brackets than with conventional ligation, though oral hygiene quality remains the dominant factor regardless of bracket type. He sees patients regularly for two or more years. Anything that makes it easier for a patient to keep their teeth clean during that period is worth building into the system from the start.
What patients notice at Tooth By Tooth: adjustment appointments move quickly. Time-and-motion research shows self-ligating brackets can reduce archwire change chair time by roughly 10 to 12 minutes compared to steel ligatures, and 2 to 3 minutes compared to elastomeric modules. The clip system opens and closes in seconds, and Dr. Patel is not spending the majority of each visit replacing elastic ties. Patients with self-ligating brackets generally spend less time in the chair per adjustment, and that efficiency compounds across 18 to 24 months of treatment.
The bracket system is one piece of the outcome. The other pieces are the orthodontist’s clinical judgment, their attention to detail at each adjustment, and how well they read the case as it progresses. Dr. Patel sees every patient personally at every appointment, which is the piece that matters more than which bracket is on the tooth.
Are Self-Ligating Braces Right for You?
For most patients, yes. The hygiene advantage and appointment efficiency are genuine benefits regardless of case complexity. Patients with crowding, spacing, or bite issues that require precise wire control over a long treatment period tend to see the most benefit from the continuous movement that lower-friction systems support.
There is no case type where self-ligating brackets are a disadvantage. The question is more about whether the practice you choose uses them and how experienced the orthodontist is with the system they have selected.
Self-ligating brackets cost slightly more in some practices due to the higher per-bracket cost. At Tooth By Tooth, Dr. Patel does not charge separately for bracket type. The system he uses is the system he uses, and it is part of what every patient gets.
For a broader look at the braces options available, see the overview of braces types at Tooth By Tooth. If cost is part of your evaluation, what braces cost in NC covers what Cary families typically pay.
Ready to talk about your smile? Book a free consultation and get a straight answer from the doctor who will actually do the work. Schedule at Tooth By Tooth in Cary, NC.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between self-ligating and traditional braces?
Traditional braces use small elastic ties to hold the archwire against each bracket. Self-ligating braces use a built-in clip or sliding mechanism instead, which reduces friction and allows the wire to slide more freely. The result is faster adjustment appointments and easier cleaning around brackets.
Do self-ligating braces work faster?
The evidence is mixed. Some studies show modest time savings, others show no significant difference. A 2023 systematic review found no consistent reduction in overall treatment time for self-ligating brackets compared to traditional brackets. Any time advantage, when present, tends to be modest and varies by case.
Are self-ligating braces less painful?
Some patients report less discomfort, likely because lower friction means gentler force application. However, controlled research has not established this as a consistent advantage. Individual responses to orthodontic forces vary significantly regardless of bracket type.
What self-ligating bracket system does Dr. Patel use?
Dr. Patel uses the Empower bracket system at Tooth By Tooth Orthodontics in Cary, NC. Empower is a passive self-ligating system chosen for its friction reduction, clinical precision, and the hygiene advantage it offers patients during long-term treatment.
Are self-ligating braces more expensive?
The bracket itself costs more to manufacture, which is why some practices charge a premium for self-ligating systems. At Tooth By Tooth, the bracket system is part of the standard treatment. Dr. Patel does not charge separately by bracket type.
About the Author
Dr. Nishant Patel, DDS, MS — Orthodontist & Founder, Tooth By Tooth Orthodontics
Dr. Patel earned his DDS from the University of Illinois at Chicago, graduating at the top of his class, and his MS with orthodontic certificate from the University of Minnesota. His research has been published in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. After eight years practicing in the Chicago suburbs, he founded Tooth By Tooth Orthodontics in Cary, NC. He uses Empower self-ligating brackets with every braces patient and sees every patient personally at every appointment.
