Effect of Electromagnetic Radiation on the Mechanical Properties of Orthodontic Elastics: A Preliminary In-vitro Study

Abstract

Introduction: The use of mobile phones has considerably increased, and the Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) caused by these devices may influence intraoral appliances. Intraoral elastics are commonly employed in orthodontics and require periodic changing by the patient to be effective. Unfortunately, changes in mechanical properties are one of the biggest drawbacks of using elastics. Aim: To evaluate the effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation (RF-EMR) on the mechanical properties of intraoral orthodontic elastics under in-vitro conditions. Materials and Methods: This in-vitro study was conducted in the Department of Orthodontics at Saveetha Dental College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, from February 2022 to June 2022. A total of 300 elastics with different diameters and force-exerting abilities were selected and divided into five categories (n=60). The five elastic groups were yellow, blue, green, red, and pink. These elastics were then exposed to EMR emitted from a cellular device for 1.5 hours per day over two days. The mechanical properties of the elastics were tested before and after exposure to EMR. Analysis of variance was used to determine if a significant difference existed between the groups, and Tukey’s post-hoc test was used to determine significant differences in the mean (p-value <0.05). The analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results: The results of the present study showed a statistically significant difference in rupture strength (p<0.001) and force decay (p<0.001) of the intraoral elastics before and after exposure to EMR. However, there was no change in the thickness and optical properties of all the elastics after exposure. The average remaining force of the intraoral elastics after exposure to EMR emitted from a cell phone device was 41.1% after force decay, and red elastics were the least colour stable, while green elastics were the most colour stable. Conclusion: EMR emitted from mobile phones and other devices can influence the mechanical properties of intraoral elastics in terms of rupture strength, force decay, and colour stability.