The orthodontic setup is meant to provide a three-dimensional representation of the occlusion at the end of treatment. Although the orthodontic setup was first described by Kesling in 1945 and has since then become an indispensible tool for diagnosis and the construction of customized appliances, there are no standardized guidelines that are approved and used by professional organizations and manufacturers. This makes it very difficult for orthodontists to provide orthodontic technicians with precise objective information on the final position of the teeth. Orthodontic technicians must therefore draw on their personal experience, know-how, and best professional practices - in short, a series of unwritten rules that are by no means universal. With this in mind, the authors have set out to describe the procedures used in the construction and evaluation of a setup that can be used both for diagnostic purposes and to manufacture customized orthodontic appliances. The manual and digital tools currently available to professionals in this field are discussed, with a particular focus on the recent developments in CAD/CAM bracket-positioning technology.