• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.48 no.2
• /
• pp.90-97
• /
• 2018

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the analgesic effect of a single application of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on spontaneous pain and pain on chewing after placement of initial archwires. Methods: Forty-two patients (26 women, 16 men) were randomly recruited for this split-mouth randomized clinical trial. Each patient received super-elastic nickel-titanium (NiTi) initial archwires (0.012, 0.014, 0.016, and 0.018-inch [in]) in the maxilla for leveling and alignment for an interval of 4 weeks between archwires. One side of the mouth was randomly designated as experimental, while the other side served as placebo. After insertion of each archwire, the experimental side was irradiated with a diode laser for 3 seconds each on 5 points facially and palatally per tooth, from the central incisor to first molar. On the placebo side, the laser device was held the same way but without laser application. A numerical rating scale was used to assess the intensity of spontaneous and masticatory pain for the following 7 days. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare pain scores between sides. Results: Patients in the LLLT group exhibited significantly lower mean scores for spontaneous pain after insertion of the initial two archwires (0.012-in and 0.014-in NiTi; p < 0.05), while there was no significant difference for 0.016-in and 0.018-in wires between the LLLT and placebo groups. LLLT significantly reduced chewing pain scores (p < 0.05) for all archwires. Conclusions: A single dose of LLLT considerably lessened postoperative pain accompanying the placement of super-elastic NiTi wires for initial alignment and leveling.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.53 no.2
• /
• pp.89-98
• /
• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to compare the mechanical and thermal properties in the anterior and posterior segments of new and retrieved specimens of a commercially available multizone superelastic nickel-titanium (NiTi) archwire. Methods: The following groups of 0.016 × 0.022-inch Bioforce NiTi archwires were compared: a) anterior and b) posterior segments of new specimens and c) anterior and d) posterior segments of retrieved specimens. Six specimens were evaluated in each group, by three-point bending and bend and free recovery tests. Bending moduli (Eb) were calculated. Furthermore, the new specimens were evaluated with scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry. A multiple linear regression model with a random intercept at the wire level was applied for data analysis. Results: The forces in the posterior segments or new specimens were higher than those recorded in the anterior segments or retrieved specimens, respectively. Accordingly, Eb also varied. Higher austenite start and austenite finish (Af) temperatures were recorded in the anterior segments. No statistically significant differences were found for these temperatures between retrieved and new wires. The mean elemental composition was (weight percentage): Ni, 52.6 ± 0.5; Ti, 47.4 ± 0.5. Conclusions: The existence of multiple force zones was confirmed in new and retrieved Bioforce archwires. The retrieved archwires demonstrated lower forces during the initial stages of deactivation in three-point bending tests, compared with new specimens. The Af temperature of these archwires may lie higher than the regular intraoral temperature. Even at 2 mm deflections, the forces recorded from these archwires may lie beyond biologically safe limits.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.153-162
• /
• 2018

Objective: The aim of this trial was to compare the alignment efficiency and intermaxillary arch dimension changes of nickel-titanium (NiTi) or copper-nickel-titanium (CuNiTi) round archwires with increasing diameters applied sequentially to the mandibular arch. Methods: The initial alignment phase of fixed orthodontic treatment with NiTi or CuNiTi round archwires was studied in a randomly allocated sample of 66 patients. The NiTi group comprised 26 women, 10 men, and the CuNiTi ($27^{\circ}C$) group comprised 20 women, 10 men. The eligibility criteria were as follows: anterior mandibular crowding of minimum 6 mm according to Little's Irregularity Index (LII), treatment requiring no extraction of premolars, 12 to 18 years of age, permanent dentition, skeletal and dental Class I malocclusion. The main outcome measure was the alignment of the mandibular anterior dentition; the secondary outcome measure was the change in mandibular dental arch dimensions during 12 weeks. Simple randomization (allocation ratio 1:1) was used in this single-blind study. LII and mandibular arch dimensions were measured on three-dimensional digital dental models at 2-week intervals. Results: No statistically significant difference was observed between NiTi and CuNiTi according to LII (p > 0.05). Intercanine and intermolar arch perimeters increased in the CuNiTi group (p < 0.001). Inter-first premolar width showed a statistically significant interaction in week ${\times}$ diameter ${\times}$ application (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The effects of NiTi and CuNiTi round archwires were similar in terms of their alignment efficiency. However, the intercanine and intermolar arch perimeters, and the inter-first premolar width changes differed between groups.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.270-281
• /
• 2021

Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the changes in friction between orthodontic brackets and archwires coated with aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), titanium nitride (TiN), or chromium nitride (CrN). In addition, the resistance of the coatings to intraoral conditions was evaluated. Methods: Stainless steel canine brackets, 0.016-inch round nickel-titanium archwires, and 0.019 × 0.025-inch stainless steel archwires were coated with Al₂O₃, TiN, and CrN using radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The coated materials were examined using scanning electron microscopy, an X-ray diffractometer, atomic force microscopy, and surface profilometry. In addition, the samples were subjected to thermal cycling and in vitro brushing tests, and the effects of the simulated intraoral conditions on the coating structure were evaluated. Results: Coating of the metal bracket as well as nickel-titanium archwire with Al₂O₃ reduced the coefficients of friction (CoFs) for the bracket-archwire combination (p < 0.01). When the bracket and stainless steel archwire were coated with Al₂O₃ and TiN, the CoFs were significantly lower (0.207 and 0.372, respectively) than that recorded when this bracket-archwire combination was left uncoated (0.552; p < 0.01). The friction, thermal, and brushing tests did not deteriorate the overall quality of the Al₂O₃ coatings; however, some small areas of peeling were evident for the TiN coatings, whereas comparatively larger areas of peeling were observed for the CrN coatings. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the CoFs for metal bracket-archwire combinations used in orthodontic treatment can be decreased by coating with Al₂O₃ and TiN thin films.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.16-25
• /
• 2024

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of laser-engineered copper-nickel titanium (SmartArch) and superelastic nickel-titanium (SENT) archwires in aligning teeth and inducing root resorption and pain experienced by patients. Methods: Two-arm parallel groups with a 1:1 allocation ratio were used. The participants were patients aged 11.5 years and older with 5-9 mm of mandibular anterior crowding who were indicated for non-extraction treatment. The primary outcome was alignment effectiveness, assessed using Little's irregularity index (LII) over 16 weeks with a single wire (0.016-inch) in the SmartArch group and 2 wires (0.014- and 0.018-inch) in the SENT group (8 weeks each). Secondary outcomes included root resorption evaluated by pre- and post-intervention periapical radiographs and pain levels recorded by the participants during the first week. Results: A total of 40 participants were randomly allocated into 2 groups; 33 completed the study and were analyzed (16 in the SmartArch group and 17 in the SENT group, aged 16.97 ± 4.05 years). The total LII decrease for the SmartArch and SENT groups was 5.63 mm and 5.29 mm, respectively, which was neither statistically nor clinically significant. Root resorption was not significantly different between the groups. The difference in pain levels was not statistically significant for the first 5 days following wire placement; however, there was a significant difference favoring the SENT group in the final 2 days. Conclusions: SmartArch and SENT archwires were similarly effective during the alignment phase of orthodontic treatment. Root resorption should be observed throughout the treatment with either wire. SmartArch wires demonstrated higher pain perception than SENT wires.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
• /
• v.9 no.6
• /
• pp.95-100
• /
• 2010

For orthodontic treatment, most commonly, an archwire is inserted into orthodontic brackets that can be made from stainless steel. Then, the archwires interact with the brackets to move teeth into the desired positions. However, the activation of an archwire may induce undesirable rotation of a tooth due to the moment application. An appropriate magnitude of the gable bends of an archwires prevents its rotation. However, it is not easy to predict the relationship between the rotation and the gable bend. This study presents the numerical approach to predict the rotation of a tooth with respect to the gable bend in the activation of an archwire. To predict the rotation of a tooth, the kriging interpolation method is introduced.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.129-137
• /
• 2012

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surface roughness (SR) of 2 types of orthodontic archwires made by 4 different manufacturers. Methods: This in vitro experimental study was conducted on 35 specimens of 7 different orthodontic archwires, namely, 1 nickel-titanium (NiTi) archwire each from the manufacturers American Orthodontics, OrthoTechnology, All-Star Orthodontics, and Smart Technology, and 1 stainless steel (SS) archwire each from the manufacturers American Orthodontics, OrthoTechnology, and All-Star Orthodontics. Aft er analyzing the composition of each wire by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, the SR of each wire was determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and surface profilometry. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests (${\alpha}$ < 0.05). Results: The average SR of NiTi wires manufactured by Smart Technology, American Orthodontics, OrthoTechnology, and All-Star Orthodontics were $1,289{\pm}915A^{\circ}$, $1,378{\pm}372A^{\circ}$, $2,444{\pm}369A^{\circ}$, and $5,242{\pm}2,832A^{\circ}$, respectively. The average SR of SS wires manufactured by All-Star Orthodontics, OrthoTechnology, and American Orthodontics were $710{\pm}210A^{\circ}$, $1,831{\pm}1,156A^{\circ}$, and $4,018{\pm}2,214A^{\circ}$, respectively. Similar to the results of profilometry, the SEM images showed more defects and cracks on the SS wire made by American Orthodontics and the NiTi wire made by All-Star Orthodontics than others. Conclusions: The NiTi wire manufactured by All-Star Orthodontics and the SS wire made by American Orthodontics were the roughest wires.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.447-476
• /
• 1994

This study was performed to evaluate the initial reaction of maxillofacial complex to the Class II intermaxillary and the anterior vertical elastic forces on the six types of archwires including multiloop edgewise arch wires(MEAW). A human dry skull was used for this purpose and this investigation was done by holographic interferometry. Based on such investigation, the fringe pattern and the number of fringes of each condition were compared and analyzed. The findings of this study were as follows: 1. As the orthodontic forces increased, the amount of displacement increased. 2. As the orthodontic forces were applied, the fringes were shown not only in the teeth and the maxilla but also in the adjacent bones, i.e., temporal bone, zygomatic bone, nasal bone, frontal bone and sphenoid bone. And the direction of fringe pattern and the number of fringes were different from each other by the sutures. 3. As the long Class II elastic forces were applied, the backward-downward displacements of the anterior teeth and the maxilla were shown, and backward displacement of the former were grater than those of the latter. And backward displacements were greater by the long Class II elastic forces than by the short Class II elastic forces. 4. As the anterior vertical elastic forces were applied, downward displacements of the anterior teeth and the maxilla were shown, and the downward displacements of the former were greater than those of the latter relatively. 5. The downward displacements of the anterior area to the anterior vertical elastic forces of the MEAW were greater than those of other archwires. In addition, the more tip-back bend was applied, the more displacement was seen. 6. As the Class II intermaxillary forces and the enough anterior vertical elastic forces were applied on the MEAW with tip-back bend, there was an intrusive effect of the posterior teeth.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.21-31
• /
• 2019

Objective: This study was performed to explore the effect of different bracket, archwire, and ligature combinations on resistance to sliding (RS) and rotational control in first-order angulation. Methods: Three types of brackets (multi-level low friction [MLF], self-ligating, and conventional brackets) coupled with four nickel-titanium archwires (0.012, 0.014, 0.016, and 0.018-inch diameter) and two stainless steel ligatures (0.20 and 0.25 mm) were tested in different first-order angulations ($0^{\circ}$, $2^{\circ}$, $4^{\circ}$, $6^{\circ}$, $8^{\circ}$, $10^{\circ}$, $15^{\circ}$, $20^{\circ}$) by using an Instron universal mechanical machine in the dry state at room temperature. RS value was evaluated and compared by one-way ANOVA. Results: Under the same angulation, the RS values showed the following order: conventional brackets > MLF brackets > self-ligating brackets. The RS was the highest for conventional brackets and showed a tendency to increase. The RS for MLF brackets coupled with thinner archwires and ligatures showed a similar tendency as the RS for the self-ligating bracket. In contrast, the RS for MLF brackets coupled with thicker archwires and ligatures increased like that for conventional brackets. MLF brackets showed the greatest range of critical contact angles in first-order angulation. Conclusions: The RS in first-order angulation is influenced by bracket design, archwire, and ligature dimension. In comparison with self-ligating and conventional brackets, MLF brackets could express low friction and rotational control with their greater range of critical contact angles.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.35 no.5 s.112
• /
• pp.381-387
• /
• 2005

The aim of this study was to compare the clinical performance of 4 types of orthodontic wires, indicated for initial tooth alignment: stainless steel, multistranded steel, superelastic and thermoactivated nickel-titanium. A prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted on a sample of 45 patients, at the Dental School of the State University of Rio do Janeiro, Brazil. Fixed appliances were fitted and study casts were obtained from each patient. Randomly, the wires were allocated as follows: 26 dental arches for superelastic NiTi wires, 22 for stainless steel, 22 for multistranded and 20 for thermoactivated archwires. After 8 weeks, the archwires were removed and impressions for study casts were taken again. Using a 3D digitization technique of defined anatomical points on the study cast crowns, a Dental Irregularity Index (DII) was created for each study cast. The difference between DII before and after the archwire insertion expressed the aligning effect of the wires. ANOVA tests were employed to evaluate the anatomical point approximation (positive DII) and separation (negative DII), for each area of the dental arches: upper and lower whole arch and anterior arch. Results showed no significant difference between the different archwires.