Effects of clinical use and sterilization on surface topography and surface roughness of three commonly used types of orthodontic archwires

• Main Authors: Joji Isac, B S Chandrashekar, S Mahendra, C M Mahesh, Bala Mohan Shetty, A V Arun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2015-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Dental Research
• Subjects: Orthodontic archwires; surface roughness; surface topography
• Online Access: http://www.ijdr.in/article.asp?issn=0970-9290;year=2015;volume=26;issue=4;spage=378;epage=383;aulast=Isac
• ISSN: 0970-9290; 1998-3603

Aim: To evaluate the changes in surface topography and roughness of stainless steel (SS), nickel-titanium and beta-titanium (β-Ti) archwires after clinical use and sterilization. Settings and Design: Thirty wires each of SS, nitinol, and β-Ti (3M Unitek) were tested in as received, as received and autoclaved, and clinically retrieved then autoclaved conditions. Materials and Methods: A sterilization protocol of 134°C for 18 min was performed using an autoclave. Surface topography of specimens from each subgroup was examined using an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM model Quanta 200, The Netherlands) at ×100, ×1000, and ×2500 magnifications. Surface roughness was measured using arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) values obtained from optical profilometric scanning (Taylor Hobson, Leicester, UK). Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post-hoc procedures. Results: Scanning electron microscope images revealed an increase in surface irregularities in SS and nitinol wires after clinical use. There was a significant increase in Ra values of SS orthodontic wires after intra-oral exposure (P = 0.0002). Conclusion: Surface roughness of SS wires increased significantly after clinical use. Autoclave sterilization did not affect considerably on surface characteristics of any archwire.