Corrosion and permanent fracture resistance of coated and conventional orthodontic wires.

The corrosion processes are presumed to have negative consequences on biocompatibility, aesthetic appearance and the frictional behavior between the bracket and the guiding arch during orthodontic treatment. A group of new guiding arches are the coated orthodontic wires. The present in-vitro study investigated the corrosion behavior and permanent fracture resistance of eight coated wires of different dimensions. Five superelastic nickel titanium (NiTi) wires (Titanol Low Force River Finish Gold and Gold 2: Forestadent Corp.; Titanol Superelastic tooth colored: Forestadent Corp.; Bioforce Sentalloy longuard: GAC Corp.; NiTi Imagination: GAC Corp.), two beta-titanium-wires (TMA Low Friction longuard: Ormco Corp.; TMA Low Friction longuard Purple: Ormco Corp.) and one steel wire (Stainless Steel Imagination: GAC Corp.) were selected. For comparison reasons three uncoated arch wires (Rematitan Lite Dimple: Dentaurum Corp.; Titanol Low Force River Finish: Forestadent Corp.; Bioforce Sentalloy: GAC Corp.) were included in the investigation. Surface modifications were made of teflon, polyethylene and by ion implantation. The corrosion processes have been carried out by the use of a specialized electrochemical cell. In a second experimental series the wires were exposed to mechanical stresses. Finally, all wires were examined in a scanning electron microscope. The results indicated that teflon coating prevented the corrosion of the wires. As expected, the beta-titanium wires did not corrode either. The other wires showed rupture potentials between 187 mV and 602 mV (NHE). After mechanical stress testing the wires could be subdivided into three groups. In the first group no differences could be recognized, the second group showed changes in their crystallographic structure and in the last group the teflon coating was peeled off from the surface of the wires.