Accuracy of third-order bends of nickel-titanium wires and the effect of high and low pressure during memorizing heat treatment.
This study evaluated the accuracy of third-order bends of nickel-titanium wires and determined the effect of high and low pressure for maintaining the wire shape during memorizing heat treatment. A computer-aided bending machine was used to incorporate 200 randomly determined torsional angles between 0 degrees and 60 degrees into 30 linear 0.016 x 0.022-in NeoSentalloy F80 (GAC International, Central Islip, NY) wires. The torsional bendings were randomized into 2 groups. Bends assigned to group 1 (n = 100) received heat treatment of 1.6 MPa (16 bar) pressure, and bends assigned to group 2 (n = 100) received heat treatment of 50 MPa (500 bar) pressure. Cross-sectional cuts from the bent wires were prepared by using standard metallurgical techniques, and the torsional angles were analyzed under computer control. The results of our study show that third-order bends </= 30 degrees can be made with adequate clinical accuracy with an error of 1.89 degrees +/- 1.75 degrees (0 degrees to 10 degrees ) and 3.57 degrees +/- 1.57 degrees (20 degrees to 30 degrees ), irrespective of the pressure applied. With bends > 30 degrees but </= 40 degrees , the method with the higher pressure offers fundamentally greater precision than that with the lower pressure. With torque bends > 40 degrees , the bending error with both methods is clinically unacceptable. In addition to the variability in the dimension and composition of nickel-titanium wires, the scale of the incorporated plastic deformations makes a substantial contribution to the bending error. As far as permitted by the clinical situation, then, the bend should be distributed over the maximum possible wire length. Third-order bends in the first rectangular pseudoelastic nickel-titanium wires represent an efficient means of effecting torque at an early stage. This individualization allows the full therapeutic potential of these archwires to be exploited right from the initial phase of treatment.
Stamm
Thomas
T
Department of Orthodontics, University of Münster, Germany. stammt@uni-muenster.de
Hohoff
Ariane
A
Wiechmann
Dirk
D
Sütfeld
Jan
J
Helm
Dirk
D
D003722:Dental Alloys; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D004548:Elasticity; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008422:Materials Testing; D008669:Metallurgy; D009532:Nickel; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design; D009969:Orthodontic Wires; D018583:Pliability; D011312:Pressure; D011897:Random Allocation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014025:Titanium; D019415:Torque
D003722:Dental Alloys; C040654:titanium nickelide; D009532:Nickel; D014025:Titanium