Surface Evaluation of Orthodontic Wires Using Texture and Fractal Dimension Analysis

Abstract

Mechanical properties of orthodontic wires can have a very significant impact both on the resistance of the entire appliance to the oral cavity conditions and directly on the effectiveness of the therapy. Striving to achieve repeatability of mechanical characteristics of orthodontic wires of a given type should be an obligatory condition in their production. To achieve it, these components should be thoroughly analyzed using various mechanical tests. Twenty-four steel and nickel-titanium orthodontic wires from four different manufacturers were examined. Each wire was subjected to fractal dimension analysis and texture analysis. The two sides of each wire were compared against each other, as well as in terms of variation in the surface area for each wire type made by different manufacturers. Most wires showed significant variation in fractal dimension and texture, both when comparing two sides of the same wire and between individual wires of a given type made by a single manufacturer. When conducting research and clinically using orthodontic wires made of Ni-Ti alloys and stainless steel, it should be assumed that the surface of orthodontic wires shows a significant degree of variation, and wires of the same type from the same manufacturer may differ significantly in this respect.