Streptococcus mutans adherence to conventional and self-ligating brackets: an in vitro study.

Introduction: Although self-ligating brackets presumably provide better hygiene conditions, no consensus has been reached so far.

Objective: Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate, in an in vitro experimental design, the adherence of Streptococcus mutans (SM) in self-ligating and conventional brackets of different manufacturers and ligature types.

Methods: Four commercial brands of maxillary premolar metal brackets were tested (Abzil®; Morelli®; 3M Unitek®; and GAC®).