What's Edgewise brackets and history

Edgewise brackets (also called edgewise appliances or standard edgewise brackets) are the most common type of orthodontic brackets used in modern fixed braces.

Key features:

• They have a horizontal rectangular slot (typically 0.022" × 0.028" or 0.018" × 0.025") that accepts a rectangular archwire.
• The bracket slot is oriented horizontally (parallel to the ground when the patient is upright), which is where the term “edgewise” comes from—the wire enters the slot with its wider (“edge”) dimension vertical.
• Introduced by Dr. Edward H. Angle in the 1920s, it evolved into the “edgewise appliance” and later the pre-adjusted edgewise systems (like the Straight Wire Appliance by Andrews in the 1970s).

Why they’re important:

• A rectangular wire in a rectangular slot gives the orthodontist full three-dimensional control of each tooth: tipping, torque, rotation, and bodily movement.
• Almost all contemporary bracket prescriptions (MBT, Roth, Damon, etc.) are variations of the edgewise design.

Comparison to older systems:

• Ribbon arch (older): slot was vertical, wire was flat/ribbon-like.
• Edgewise (current): slot is horizontal, wire is rectangular → much better torque and control.

So when someone says “edgewise brackets,” they’re usually just referring to the classic metal (or ceramic) braces you see on most patients today, as opposed to lingual braces, self-ligating brackets (which are still edgewise but with a door), or aligners.

History of Edgewise Brackets

The edgewise bracket system is the foundation of virtually all modern fixed orthodontic appliances. Its development spans over 100 years.

1. Pre-Edgewise Era (before 1920s)

• E.H. Angle’s earlier systems (Edward Hartley Angle, "father of modern orthodontics"): Pin and Tube (1910): Difficult to use, limited control. Ribbon Arch (1915–1925): Introduced the first bracket with a vertical slot. Used a flat/ribbon wire inserted "broad side" vertically. Gave good vertical control but very poor torque control because the wire could rotate freely in the wide, thin slot.

2. Birth of the Edgewise Appliance (1925–1928)

• In 1925–1928, Edward H. Angle completely re-thought the bracket design.
• He rotated the slot 90 degrees so it faced horizontally (edgewise).
• The new bracket accepted a rectangular wire inserted with its long (edge) dimension vertical.
• Key innovation: When a rectangular wire completely fills a rectangular slot, twisting (torque) forces can be transmitted to the tooth root — something impossible with the old ribbon arch.
• Angle first presented the “Edgewise Arch Appliance” in 1928. It is considered the single most important invention in 20th-century orthodontics.

3. Early Edgewise (1930s–1960s) – “Standard Edgewise”

• Brackets had no built-in angulation or torque (all “0-0-0” prescription).
• Every tooth movement had to be created by placing bends in the archwire (first-order, second-order, and third-order bends).
• Extremely technique-sensitive; required highly skilled orthodontists (e.g., the famous Tweed Foundation courses).

4. The Straight-Wire Revolution (1970s)

• Dr. Lawrence F. Andrews (1960s–1970s) studied hundreds of ideal occlusions and realized that if brackets were pre-manufactured with the correct tip, torque, and in-out for each tooth, most wire bending could be eliminated.
• 1972: Andrews published the Straight-Wire Appliance (SWA) — the first pre-adjusted edgewise bracket system.
• This became the template for almost every modern prescription (Roth, MBT, Alexander, Wick, etc.).

5. Major Modern Evolutions of the Edgewise Design

• 1970s–1980s: Bonded brackets (instead of bands on every tooth).
• 1980s–1990s: Introduction of ceramic edgewise brackets for esthetics.
• 1990s–2000s: Self-ligating edgewise brackets (Damon, SmartClip, Speed, etc.) — still edgewise slots, but with a sliding door or clip instead of elastic/rubber ligatures.
• 2000s–present: Digital customization (SureSmile, Insignia, LightForce) — 3D-printed or CAD/CAM edgewise brackets with fully individualized torque, tip, and thickness.

Summary Timeline

YearMilestone1915Ribbon arch (vertical slot)1928Edward Angle introduces the Edgewise bracket (horizontal rectangular slot)1930s–60sClassic “standard” (non-pre-adjusted) edgewise era1972Andrews Straight-Wire Appliance (pre-adjusted edgewise)1990s–2000sSelf-ligating edgewise brackets (Damon, etc.)2010s–nowFully customized 3D-printed edgewise brackets

Today, when an orthodontist says “edgewise,” they almost always mean any modern pre-adjusted or self-ligating bracket with a horizontal 0.018" or 0.022" rectangular slot — the direct descendant of Angle’s 1928 invention that revolutionized tooth movement control.

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