ORTHODONTIC WIRES

Seminar by

Dr.Sandeep

1st year post graduate trai

Dept.Of orthodontics and

Dentofacial orthopaedics
1
svsids
CONTENTS
 Introduction

 Classification

 History

 Gold Alloys

 Stainless Steel

 Cobalt Chromium

 conclusion

 References

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INTRODUCTION

 To be competent, orthodontists should have the

manual skills of a craftsman and an in-depth
knowledge of orthodontic science.

 If manual skills alone were sufficient then great

craftsmen would make excellent orthodontists.

3
 For the correct use of orthodontic appliances one
must have thorough knowledge of materials from
which these appliances are made.
 knowledge of orthodontic wires allows to perform
more efficient movements and avoid damage to
teeth and supporting tissues.
 The light, continuous pressure produced by
these appliances stimulate osseous development
in the desired direction.

4
CLASSIFICATION OF ARCHWIRES

Based On Material Used Based On Cross Section

Gold alloys
Round
Stainless steel
Square
Cobalt chromium Rectangular
Nickel titanium Multistranded
Beta titanium

Alpha titanium

Aesthetic wires

5
HISTORY
 In the first half of the 20th century, precious
metal alloys were used routinely for orthodontic
purposes, primarily because nothing else would
tolerate intraoral conditions.
 later half of 20th century,led to substantial
changes to dental materials.

FACTORS

economy aesthetics

performance

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 till late 20th century,gold was trade under
government,which was abandoned later as a result gold
was open trade commodity which rised the prices.
 This led to the development of newer materials by
replacing gold with other low cost metals.(iron)
 Later development of STAINLESS STEEL largely
replaced other metals.
 Further,development in metallurgical processes
introduced other alloys.(co-cr,niti).
 In 21st century,development of aesthetic wires is seen.

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GOLD ALLOYS

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 COMPOSITION
Metal % properties
Gold 55-65% Major component

Silver 10-25% Provides whiteness

by reducing colour
of copper
Platinum 5-10% Increases the fusion
temp
Palladium 5-10% Increases the fusion
temp
Copper 11-18% Contributes to ability
of alloy to age harden
Nickel 1-2% Strengthens the alloy
Zinc 0.6% Scavenger agent

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HEAT TREATMENT

 Strengthened to variable stiffness with proper heat

treatment, although they are typically used in the
drawn condition.

Heating at 450 C (842 F) for 2 min.

Cooling to 250 C (482 F) for 30 min.

Quenching to room temp .

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Advantages Disadvantages

Good formability Low YS and (E).

lower forces per unit of High cost

activation
Easily joined by soldering

Excellent corrosion resistance

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 USES
 Crozat appliance- early 1900

 Rectangular gold arch wire- late 1920 (ANGLE)

Useful Wire Sizes Of GOLD

Arch wire
round 20 to 22 guage
rectangular 22 x 28

Removable appliance 30 to 40 guage

Lingual arch 40 guage

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STAINLESS STEEL

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PAST
 Discovered by chance few years before world war I.

 1919 - by R.Hauptmeyer (Germany-krupp)-“Wipla”.

 1930 -Angle used it as ligature wire.

 1931- AAO Conference,Taylor and Paffenbarger

introduced steel as a substitute for gold.
 1933- Archie Brusse, clinical application of SS at
American Orthodontic Society in Oklahoma.

 1937- confirmed as orthodontic material.

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DEVELOPMENT

 Variety of SS atleast 10 were developed.

 303,304L,316L,630(17-4),631(17-7),SAP
2205,Mezanium,Noninium,Ni free, NoNi,18-
8 +,431,AL 29-4C.

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 PLAIN CARBON STEELS
 Contain < 2.1% Carbon

 Major classes –BASED ON STRUCTURE

FERRITE AUSTENTITE

BCC FCC

Stable at 912 C 912-1394 C

Carbon atom in interstitial spaces Carbon atom in interstitial

of Fe atom spaces.

0.02% solubility 2.1% . Increased interstitial space

size & maximum solid solubility
of carbon
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 CAST IRON – are Fe- C alloys containing higher
i.e 4% of carbon
 PEARLITE- when plain carbon steel containing
0.8% carbon is cooled, it transforms to pearlite
at 723 C.
 Pearlite consists of alternate ferrite & Fe3C
called cementite or carbide.
 Austentite when cooled rapidly undergoes
transformation to BCT structure called
martensite (hard, strong & brittle).
 Martensite alloy- eg: cutting edge of surgical
instruments.

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 STAINLESS STEEL

 12- 13 % Cr + FE + C(<1.2%) = STAINLESS STEEL.

 Other elements may include other than iron,carbon.

CLASSIFICATION:

Based On Crystal Structure

 Ferritic SS (Highly Resistance To Chloride)

 Martensite SS

 Austentite SS

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COMPOSITION

CHROMIUM NICKEL CARBON

FERRITIC 11.5-27 0 0.2

AUSTENTITE 16-26 7-22 0.5

MARTENSIT 11.5-17 0-0.25 0.15-1.2

E

Si, P, S, Mn, Ta, Nio- small amounts

Fe- rest /balance proportion
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FERRITIC SS (AISI 400)

 Microstructure same as iron at room temperature.

 Designated as American Iron & Steel Institute series 400

SS.
 Good corrosion resistance where high strength is not
required.
 Work hardening cannot be done.

 Little application in dentistry.

 19-30 % Cr –SUPER FERRITICS (nickel free brackets)

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MARTENSITE SS ( AISI 400)

 Can be heat treated.

 Has high strength & hardness.

 High yield strength(500MPa).

 Hardness (BHN- 230-600).

 Corrosion resistance is less than that of two others.

 Heat treatment further reduces corrosion resistance &

ductility.
 Used in surgical & cutting instruments.

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AUSTENTITE SS (AISI-300)

 High corrosion resistance.

 Only steel used for orthodontic wires, endo

instruments, crowns in pedo.
 Highly unstable at lower temperature.

 Austentite form achieved by adding nickel (Mn,N2)

to Fe-Cr-C at room temperature.
 AISI-200SS-Mn,N2-low cost

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 AISI -302 SS 304 SS

Chromium 17-19 18-20

Nickel 8-10 8-12

Carbon 0.15 0.08

Both 302 & 304 SS are designated as 18-8 SS

18-8 SS most commonly used in orthodontic wires & bands

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316L –LOW CARBON CONTENT
Chromium 16-18

Nickel 10-14

Carbon 0.03

Molybdenum 2-3

Used for implants

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 Austentite is preferred over ferrite due to following:

1) greater ductility
2) Strengthening during cold working
3) Ease of welding
4) Overcome sensitisation
5) Ease in forming
6) Less critical grain growth

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PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF STAINLESS STEEL

 STIFFNESS

 High Modulus of Elasticity results in high stiffness.

 As a result use of smaller wires for alignment of

moderately or severely displaced teeth.

 Resists deformation caused by extra and intraoral

tractional forces.

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 SPRING BACK

 greater spring back as compared to the gold alloys but lower than
those of newer titanium based alloys.

 Deflected easily without much deformation.

 RESILIENCE

 less than that of Beta titanium and Nitinol wires.

 stainless steel wires produce higher forces that dissipate over

shorter periods of time,thus requiring more frequent activation
or archwire changes.

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 FORMABILITY

 Excellent formability, wire can be bent into different loops

easily.

 But wires with higher yield strength are more brittle.

 JOINABILITY

 SS wires can be soldered and welded.

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SOLDERING & WELDING OF SS

 As high temperature soldering technique (gold)

alters the properties of SS , low temperature solders
(silver solders) are used for soldering.

 Ag soldering temperature range between 620 – 665

C.

 And the joint metal should harden promptly when

flame removed.

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Soldering flux for SS
 In addition to usual oxidising & reducing agents,
fluoride is added for soldering SS.

 KF is added which dissolves the chromium oxide ,thus

allowing the wetting of metal

 And the other one is boric acid is used in greater

ration than borax to lower fusion temperature

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 WELDING
 SS bands & brackets are usually welded.

 Spot welding commonly used.

 High amperage & low voltage & resistance of the

materials to current flow produces heating &
fusion of the metals

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 BIOCOMPATIBILITY

 Provides good tissue tolerance.

 Nickel and chromium may induce sensitivity.

 Resistant to corrosion.

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 Characterization and cytotoxicity of ions released from stainless
steel and nickeltitanium orthodontic alloys.
Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2004;125:24-9

 Conclusion:

 The results indicated no ionic release for niti alloy aging solution,
whereas measurable nickel and traces of chromium were found in
the SS bracket-aging medium.

 Concentrations of the nickel chloride solution greater than 2

mM reduced the viability and DNA synthesis of fibroblasts by
more than 50% .

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 Friction

 SS wires produce less friction at the bracket interface.

 Significantly offers lower resistance to tooth movement.

 STUDIES

 Graner et al (1986)

 Larger forces are required during canine retraction using  - Ti

and Nitinol when compared to SS.

 Kusy et al (1988) angle ortho,1988; 3: 41-59

 Investigated surface roughness of 6 Orthodontic archwire

products.

 Stainless steel appears the smoothest followed by

Co-Cr,  - Ti and Ni – Ti.
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IMPORTANT PROPERTIES OF SS
 PASSIVATION

 Resistance of SS to tarnish & corrosion is associated with

chromium.

 Thin transparent , adherent Cr2O3 forms a barrier to oxygen

diffusion & prevents further corrosion.

 SENSITISATION

 Austentite SS loses resistance to corrosion if heated to 400-900c.

 It is due to precipitation of chromium iron carbide at grain

boundaries.

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 METHODS TO MINIMIZE SENSITISATION
1) Reduce carbon content

carbide precipitate do not occur

2) Severe cold working & heating

(CrFe4)C at dislocations

Uniform distribution of carbide

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3) Stabilisation

 Industrially , to prevent sensitisation one or two

elements that form carbides in preference to
chromium is added.

 Eg : Niobium, Titanium + Tantalum

 Not used in SS orthodontic wires due to high cost.

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Annealing
The metal is heated to a temperature below its melting point.
(half of the melting temperature)
 3stages(skinners)

 Recovery

 Recrystalization

 Grain growth

 Fully annealed S.S wires are soft and highly formable.

 Steel archwire are delivered partially annealed states,
in which yieldstrength increases,formability
decreases.

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 HEAT TREATMENT
 Stress relieving heat treatment

 Only heat treatment used with stainless steel after bending

wire into an arch, loops or coils.
 Purpose

 Causes significant decrease in residual stress.

 Enhances elastic properties of wire – slight  resilience.

 Recommended temperature time schedule is 750F(399 C)

for 11 min.

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 Funk (1951)

 Recommends use of color Index to determine when

adequate heat treatment is achieved.

 He suggests a straw colored wire indicates that optimum

heat treatment has been attained.

 Methods of heating

 Oven (uniform temp)

 special heat treating power source.(lacks uniformity)

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Drawbacks of heating

 High modulus of elasticity.

 More frequent activations are required to maintain

the same force level.

 Heating to temperature of 400-900 degrees causes

release of nickel and chromium, there by decreasing
the corrosion resistance of alloy.

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ADVANTAGES
 High yield strength

 High resilience

 Good formability

 Good environmental stability

 Good joinability

 Adequate spring back

 Biocompatible

 Corrosion resistant

 Economical
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DISADVANTAGES

 Soldering is demanding.

 Lower springback than niti.

 High modulus of elasticity.

 More frequent activations are required to

maintain the same force levels.
 Heating to temperature of 400-900 degrees
causes the release of nickel and chromium,
thereby decreasing the corrosion resistance of
alloy.

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MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
 Tensile strength- at which wire fractures is of
metallurgical interest & has no clinical significance.
 UTS – 2.1 Gpa

 Elastic modulus -179 Gpa

 Determines the alloy contribution to orthodontic force from a

wire segment.

 Yield strength (1.6 Gpa) – determines the practical limit of

working range.

 Recovery heat treatment

 Increase in elastic properties can be obtained by heating to

temperatures between 400-500 C after cold working

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USES
 SS arch wires

 SS brackets (AISI 316 & 317)

 Ligature wire (dead soft SS)

 SS bands and loops (AISI 302,304)

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TYPES OF SS

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Multistranded SS wires

 numbers of thin wire sections coiled around each

other.

 Improved strength and maintain stiffness and Range

properties.

 high elastic modulus of material,with low stiffness

number.

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TWISTED AND COAXIAL

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 STUDIES
 Kusy and Dilley

 Elastic property ratios of a triple-stranded stainless steel

arch wire were compared.
 the elastic property ratios are determined using triple-
stranded 0.0175 inch(3 x 0.008 inch) SS as the base line.
 possesses the stiffness of an 0.010 inch stainless steel wire
but has at least 20% more strength and range.
 stiffness of the 3 x 0.008 inch multistranded wire is similar
to an 0.016 inch niti wire but only 40% that of 0.016 inch
beta titanium wire.

AJODO Volume 86, Number 5 September, 1984

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 Ingram, Gipe And Smith AJODO,1986 Oct;90(4):296-307
 compared with solid SS wires ,Titanium alloy wires and
multistranded SS wires have low stiffness.
 But spring back higher compared to solid SS and Beta
titanium wires. 

 Kusy & Stevens Angle orthod,1987Jan;57(1):18-32

 Initial orthodontic leveling arch wires require great

working range to accommodate the usual malalignment of
bracket slot in the untreated malocclusion.
 Low stiffness and high strength is desirable in these cases.

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 Types

 1. Triple stranded wires

 2. Coaxial wires – 5 or 6 wires wrapped around one

central strand.
 Advantages

 Multistranded wires are able to sustain large elastic

deflection in bending.
 Because of their low apparent modulus of elasticity in
bending , these wires apply low forces for a given
deflection when compared with single solid SS wires.

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 Rose , Frucht & Jonas

 Quintessence Int. 2002 Sep;33(8):579-83.

 clinical comparison of Multistranded SS wire with

direct bonded polyethylene ribbon reinforced resin
composite wire used for lingual retention.
 conclusion

 50% of MS wires stayed over 24 months whereas

mean survival time for RRC wire is only 11.5 months.
 So multistranded wires are excellent retention wire
and allows minimal movement of teeth.

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Clinical applications

 alternative to more expensive titanium wires for

initial leveling.
 Braided rectangular steel wires are available in
variety of stiffness and the stiffest of these is
0.021 x 0.025 – useful in 0.022 slot for finishing.
 Disadvantage

 Readily distortion inside the mouth.

 Difficulty in bending the ends.

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 Availability
Braided
 Forms Twisted
Co-axial
 Cross sections Round
Rectangular
 No. of strands 3,6,8,9 stranded
 Dimensions
Round:- 0.015, 0.0175, 0.0195,0.0215
Rectangular : 0.016 x 0.022 to 0.021 x 0.025

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 Duplex steels – assembly of austentite & ferrite grains.

 with Fe, Mo, Cr, low Ni in small amounts.

 Duplex structure enhances :

 Toughness

 Ductility

 Yield strength is 2 times ASS

 high corrosion resistance

 Uses – manufacture of one piece brackets ( eg: Bioline)

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 Australian Arch wires
 History
 Wilcock archwires have been the mainstay of Begg
technique.
 In 1940S, Dr. Begg met Mr.Arthur J. Wilicock Sr. of
Whittlesea, Victoria who was directing metallurgical
research projects at University of Melbourne.

56
 Special properties of Australian Arch wires are
 Hardness
 Tensile strength
 Springback
 Resiliency
 Zero stress relaxation
 Yield strength

57
 Recent advances in Australian wires

 wires are straightened by use of 2 processes

 Spinner straightening.

 Pulse straightening.

58
 SPINNER STRAIGHTENING
 Mechanical process of straightening materials usually
in cold hard drawn condition.
 Wires are straightened by process of reverse straining.
 Flexing in a direction opposite to that of original bend
(This is what is done manually in clinical setting).
 In conventional manufacturing wire is pulled through
high speed rotating Bronze rollers which torsionally
twist the wire into straight condition.

59
 Disadvantages
 Resultant deformation.
 Decreased yield strength in tension and compression as
compared to that of the “as drawn” material. This
phenomenon of strain softening/work softening due to
reverse straining is known as “BAUSCHINGER EFFECT”.

60
Regular Regular Plus Special Special plus

White level Green level Black level Orange level

Lowest grade Stiffness is more high tensile Hardness and
strength resiliency-more
Used for wire Used for complicated breaks easily
bending practice auxiliaries and bends can be
archwires given
Used in patients 0.016 is often supporting
when distortion of used as starting anchorage and
wire and bite archwires reducing deep
opening is not a overbites.
problem.

0.012’’, 0.014’’, 0.014’’, 0.016’’, 0.014’’, 0.016’’, 0.014’’, 0.016’’,

0.016’’, 0.018’’ & 0.018’’ & 0.020’’ 0.018’’ & 0.020’’ 0.018’’ & 0.020’’
0.020’’ diameter. diameter. diameter. diameter.

61
PULSE STRAIGHTENING
 The wire is pulsed in a special machine that permits high
tensile wires to be straightened.
 This process was developed to overcome previous
difficulties.
 Advantages over other straightening method.

 Permits higher tensile wires to be straightened.

 Less or no deformation.

 Material yield strength is not diminished.

 Wire has smoother surface and hence less bracket friction.

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 Newer grades of Wilcock wires
 Premium Grade
 Premium Plus Grade
 Supreme Grade

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Premium Premium plus Supreme Grade

Blue level Blue level Lavender level

Better tensile strength Used in early treatment good strength and

for rotation, alignment stiffness.
& leveling.

Better stiffness. initial alignment in

conjunction with
anterior intrusion.

0.014”, 0.016’’, 0.018’’ 0.012’’, 0.014’’, 0.016’’ for making torquing

& 0.020’’ diameter. & 0.018’’ diameter auxiliaries and mini
uprighting springs.

extra special plus wires Supreme wires.

64
PROPERTIES

 More formability than Ni-Ti wires.

 More resilient.

 Can be welded.

65
 Wire Bending With High Tensile Pliers
 The Mollenhauer bending plier is strongly recommended for
bending Wilcock wire as it helps to minimise breakages.

 The tips are tungsten carbide inserted for durability, with

rounded and highly polished edges.

66
 Properties
 Springback (YS/E)
 Newer grade wires have better springback than lower
grade wires.
 Can be deflected more without deformation.

 Resiliency (YS2/2E)
 Higher yield strength results in greater resiliency.
 This means that higher grade wires store or absorb more
energy per unit volume before they get permanently
deformed.

67
 Zero Stress Relaxation
 Ability of wire to deliver over long periods a constant
force when subjected to an external load.
 Newer wires maintain their configuration over long
periods against deforming forces (forces of occlusion).
 Higher yield strength prevents grain slippage.

68
 Formability
 For the same material greater resiliency lesser the
formability.

 These wires are more brittle than lower grade wires and
need to be bent in specific way.

 Warm the wire by pulling through fingers before

bending because these wires have a ductile brittle
transition temp. slightly above room temp.

 Bend the wire around square beak of pliers.

69
 Clinical use

  when relatively high load deflection rate is required

 For generating relatively lighter forces in stage I (for

incisor intrusion and lateral contraction or expansion of
post teeth).

 0.016 or 0.018 Premium + or P wires are used.

70
 Large resistance to deformation is required

e.g. maintaining arch from

 0.018 P or P + or 0.020 P wires are indicated.

 Similarly for overcoming undesired reactions of a

torquing auxiliary or uprighting springs in IIIrd
stage – 0.020 p wire is employed .

71
 When a low load deflection rate is required.
 Supreme grade arch wires of sizes 0.008 – 0.011
are used for
 Unravelling of crowded anterior teeth.
 MAA (Mollenhauer aligning auxiliary)
 Miniuprighting springs.

72
 PRECIPITATION- HARDENABLE STAINLESS
STEEL:
 Can be hardened by heat treatment.

 Has high yield strength.

 Uses – 17- 4 PH – mini brackets

17-7 PH - edge lock brackets

 COBALT & NO NICKEL CONTAINING ALLOYS

 Elgiloy & flexiloy contain large amount of nickel.

 Allergenic nickel is being replaced.

73
 Uses – to manufacture attachments

 Prestige

 Nu- Edge LN

 Elite opti MIM

 MANGANESE CONTAINING STEELS

 Known as Austenizing steel

 Repalcement of Ni by Mn.

 Mn- > 18 % increase corrosion

 Mn acts by interstitially dissolving austenizing

element N2

74
 HIGH TEMPERED GOLD TREATED SS

 Provides high force and greater spring back than

solid SS.
 Used where resistance to deformation is a
primary factor.

75
COBALT-CHROMIUM (CO-CR) ALLOYS
 History

 In 1950s Elgin watch company was developing a complex

alloy whose primary ingredients were cobalt, chromium,
Iron and Nickel.

 Cobalt chromium alloy was marketed as Elgiloy by Rocky

mountain orthodontics.

 Introduced by wilkinson to orthodontics.

76
COMPOSITION

ELEMENT %
Cobalt 40
Chromium 20
Molybdenum 7
Manganese 2
Nickel 15
Iron 15.8
Carbon 0.15
Beryllium 0.04

77
 Cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) alloys are available commercially
as Elgiloy,Azura and Multiphase Elgiloy
 manufactured in four tempers:

 soft (blue)
 ductile(yellow)
 semiresilient(green)
 red (resilient)

78
Blue Elgiloy

 It is recommended for use when considerable

bending, soldering, or welding is required.
 Heat treatment of blue Elgiloy increases its
resistance to deformation.

79
Yellow Elgiloy

 is relatively ductile and more resilient than blue

Elgiloy.
 It can also be bent with relative ease.

 Further increases in its resilience and spring

performance can be achieved by heat treatment.

80
Green Elgiloy

 is more resilient than yellow elgiloy and can be

shaped with pliers before heat treatment.

81
Red elgiloy

 Heat treatment makes red Elgiloy wire extremely

resilient.
 Since this wire fractures easily after heat
treatment, all adjustments should be made
before this precipitation hardening process.
 High spring back

 The ideal temperature for heat treatment is 900F

82
Properties

 SPRINGBACK
 With exception of red temper elgiloy, springback
is less than SS wires.
 But this property can be improved by adequate
heat treatment.
 .0045-.0065 for , as received wire
 .0054-.0074 after heat treatment

83
 STIFFNESS

 High Modulus of elasticity deliver twice force of 

- Ti and 4 times force of Nitinol for equal
amounts of activation.
 Less stiff than stainless steel

 160-190GPa as received
 180-210GPa heat treated

84
 FORMABILITY
 Good formability.
 Modified by heat treatment.
 Once appliance has been fabricated,inherent
elasticity of material which could be achieved by
heat treatment,ie,resilience.
 YIELD STRENGTH
 830-100MPa as received.
 1100-1400MPa heat treated.

85
 JOINABILITY

 Can be soldered and welded.

 Precaution

 High temp (749C) causes Annealing.

 Low fusing solder is recommended.

 BIOCOMPATIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL

STABILITY
 Good

86
 FRICTION

 Although larger frictional forces have been noted

previously between brackets and cobalt
chromium wires .

 Recent reports suggest that resistance to tooth

movement along stainless steel and cobalt
chromium wires may be comparable.

87
HEAT TREATMENT OF ELGILOY

 The ideal temperature for heat treatment is 900 F (482 C)

for 7 – 12 min in a dental furnance.

 Causes Precipitation hardening of alloy.

 increases the resistance of wire to deformation.

 Properties similar to stainless steel.

88
 Heat treatment at temp above 1200 F (749C) results
in partial annealing -  in resistance to deformation.

 Optimum levels of heat Rx are confirmed by

 Dark straw colored wire.

 temperature indicating paste.

89
Mechanism of Precipitation hardening
 Results in
  resistance of wire to deformation.
 Increased resilience.
 Wire demonstrates properties similar to SS.

90
Procedure

1. Oven heat treatment.

2. Electrical heat treatment
 using a heat treatment unit and temperature
indicating paste to achieve proper temperature.
 Wet cotton is placed over bends in wire to
prevent overheating the wire.
3. Flame heat treatment with match or brush
flame.

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 Martin et al (1984)
 Investigated effect of heat treatment on various properties
of Blue Elgiloy.

 Heat treatment of blue Elgiloy  its yield strength and

stiffness but  no. of 90 bends cycles to failure.

 Significantly higher yield strength of electrically heat treated

straight wire samples over oven heat treated samples was
noted.

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 Clinical applications
 Elgiloy is easier to bend than SS, NiTi and -Ti
in its as received state.

 Preferred in techniques in which loops are used.

  Ideal and economical finishing wire.

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 Advantages over SS wires

 Greater formability, resistance to fatigue and

distortion.

 Greater Resilience.

 Excellent corrosion resistance

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 DRAWBACKS
 Lower spring back than stainless steel.

 High force delivery.

 Due to its soft feel during manipulation, operater

can mistakenly believe that as received elgiloy
blue wire has low force delivery.

 The value of modulus of elasticity is very similar

for blue elgiloy and stainless steel

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AVAILABILITY

 Straight lengths – 14 inches

 Preformed arches. Eg: Pentamorphic arches

(RMO)

96
CONCLUSION

 The wide range of orthodontic wires available in

the market can raise doubts about the best
choice.
 knowledge of their mechanical properties can
facilitate the choice of wire required to achieve a
given orthodontic movement.
 Ultimately, enables professionals to choose the
best possible treatment protocol for the patient
thereby rendering treatment more effective,
faster.

97
 REFERENCES
 Graber TM, Vanarsdall, Orthodontics current principles
and techniques, ed 4

 Anusavice Kenneth J, Philips science of dental materials ;

ed 11.

 William .R .Proffit ,Contemporary orthodontics, ed 4.

 Kusy. A review of contemporary archwires: Their properties

and characteristics. Angle orthodontist 97;67:197-208

98
 Kapila & Sachdeva. Mechanical properties and clinical
applications of orthodontic wires. AJO 89;96:100-109.

 Ronald W.Kohl, Metallurgy in orthodontics, Angle

orthodontics 64;jan:37-52

 Kusy and Dilley. Elastic property ratios of a triple stranded

stainless steel archwire. AJO 84;86:177-188

99
 Arthur J Wilcock. JCO interviews. JCO 1988;22: 484-489

 Fillmore & Tomlinson, Heat treatment of co-cr alloys of

various tempers. Angle orthodontics; 79:126-130

 Characterization and cytotoxicity of ions released from

stainless steel and nickeltitanium orthodontic
alloys.Ajodo2004;125:24-9.

 Mechanical characteristics of various tempers of as-

received cobalt-chromium archwires.Ajodo 2001;119:274-
91

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THAT’S ALL…

Thank you.

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