Nickel concentration in the saliva of patients with nickel-titanium orthodontic appliances.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to examine whether nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) archwires cause an increase of nickel concentration in the saliva of 18 orthodontic patients to estimate the possible risk of these archwires in patients who have nickel hypersensitivity.


METHODS
Saliva samples were collected before orthodontic treatment, after placement of the bands and brackets, 2 weeks later and before placing the Ni-Ti archwires, immediately after placing the Ni-Ti archwires, 4 weeks after placing the wires, and 8 weeks after placing the wires.


RESULTS
By using mass spectrometry, no statistically significant differences were found in the nickel concentrations in the samples taken without appliances, in those obtained 2 weeks after placement of the bands and brackets, and 4 and 8 weeks after placement of the archwires. Samples taken immediately after placement of the bands and brackets and the Ni-Ti archwires showed slight but significant increases in nickel concentration of 78 and 56 microg per liter, respectively, compared with the pretreatment value of 34 microg per liter.


CONCLUSIONS
Nickel leaching occurred after placement of the bands and brackets and after placement of the Ni-Ti archwires, associated with an increase of the nickel ion concentration in the patient's saliva. This effect decreased within 10 weeks.
Petoumenou
Evangelia
E
Department of Orthodontics, Dental Clinic, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Arndt
Martin
M
Keilig
Ludger
L
Reimann
Susanne
S
Hoederath
Hildegard
H
Eliades
Theodore
T
Jäger
Andreas
A
Bourauel
Christoph
C
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003343:Corrosion; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry*; D016910:Orthodontic Brackets; D009969:Orthodontic Wires; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013193:Stainless Steel / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
D003722:Dental Alloys; C040654:titanium nickelide; D013193:Stainless Steel; D009532:Nickel; D014025:Titanium