Comparative analysis of force degradation of latex orthodontic elastics of 5/16'' diameter: an in vitro study.
BACKGROUND
this study aimed to analyze, six commercial brands of latex elastics regarding force degradation according to time, immediately and in time intervals of 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours.


METHODS
the elastics were stretched by three times their diameter, measured, immersed in artificial saliva at 37 °C, and stored in a glass container. Data obtained were described by mean parameters, standard deviation, degradation rate, and coefficient of variation and Tukey's post hoc test (p<0.05).


RESULTS
American OrthodonticsTM was the brand closest to prescription (94.70%), and UnidenTM was the one with the lowest performance (73.60%). By analyzing the total force degradation rate at the end of the experiment, it is noted that elastics from the OrthometricTM brand presented the highest rate (20.24%).


CONCLUSIONS
it is concluded that the latex elastics studied suffer great intensity variation of initial force, and the higher variation rate occurs in the first 12 hours.
Department of Dentistry, FUNORTE/SOEBRAS, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil - graziela.cericato@imed.edu.br.
Sionara
S
Seibt
Igor
I
Salmoria
Graziela O
GO
Cericato
Luiz R
LR
Paranhos
Henrique D
HD
Rosario
Ossam
O
El Haje