American Orthodontics, Sheboygan, Wis, has released Empower 2, an upgrade of its Empower self-ligating bracket system. The upgrades are designed to “enhance the bracket’s strength and dependability,” according to a press release from the company.
Empower 2 metal brackets and molar tubes feature new micro etched Maximum Retention™ bonding pads. According to the company, these new bonding pads increase bond strength 15% to 30% over non-micro etched pads.
The Empower 2 also includes a new modified chip shape to help seat the wire into the slot during clip closure and provide a visual cue to confirm the clip is closed. This new clip is 20% thicker and stronger than the previous generation and increases wire-seating force while reducing clip deformation, according to the company.
A chamfered slot entrance is also included to help reduce friction from wire bonding.
