Variation in corrosion resistance of nickel-titanium wires from different manufacturers.

Nickel-titanium (NiTi) wires produced by various manufacturers may have different corrosion resistance in acidic oral environments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the variation during in vitro corrosion resistance of commercial NiTi dental orthodontic wires from different manufacturers using the fast electrochemical technique. The linear polarization test was used to evaluate the corrosion resistance, in terms of polarization resistance (Rp), of as-received commercial NiTi wires in acidic artificial saliva at 37 degrees C. One-way analysis of variance was used to analyze Rp with the wire manufacturer as the variable factor. Atomic force microscopy was used to analyze the three-dimensional surface topography and roughness (Ra). Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis was used to identify the chemical structure of the passive film on the NiTi wires. The results showed that NiTi wires from different manufacturers had a statistically significant difference in Rp (P < .001). Different surface topography was present among the tested NiTi wires, whereas the same surface chemical structure was observed for the tested NiTi wires. The surface roughness of the commercial NiTi wires with similar surface chemical structure does not correspond with the difference in corrosion resistance.