What's MBT brackets?

MBT brackets (also known as the MBT prescription or system) are a popular pre-adjusted edgewise orthodontic bracket system developed by Drs. Richard McLaughlin, John Bennett, and Hugo Trevisi in the late 1990s. It is a modification of earlier prescriptions (like Andrews Straight-Wire and Roth), designed for better torque control, anchorage management, and finishing with sliding mechanics. The system typically uses a 0.022" × 0.028" slot and incorporates specific built-in values for:

• Torque (third-order control: bucco-lingual root/crown inclination; positive = palatal root torque in upper arch / labial root torque in lower arch; negative = opposite)
• Tip/Angulation (second-order control: mesio-distal crown tipping)
• Rotation/Offset (first-order control: corrections for rotations, especially in posteriors)

Standard MBT Prescription Values

Key Features & Variations in MBT

• Higher torque in upper incisors (+17° centrals, +10° laterals) for better esthetics and incisor control.
• Lower torque in lower posteriors (more negative) to upright them and help level the curve of Spee.
• Reduced tip in anteriors (especially lowers) to make space opening/extraction mechanics easier and reduce canine root prominence issues.
• Canine torque options: Upper canines often have -7° (standard), 0°, or +7° variants; lower canines -6° (standard), 0°, or +6° — chosen based on case type (e.g., more positive torque for Class II deep bite).
• Rotations: Mostly handled by bracket offsets on premolars (2°) and molars (distal rotation on uppers to counteract mesial-in drift during space closure).

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