Effect of archwire cross-section changes on force levels during complex tooth alignment with conventional and self-ligating brackets

•We studied the effect of wire cross sections on the levels of force applied to teeth.•Displacements of the maxillary central incisors 2 mm gingivally and 2 mm labially were simulated.•The 0.014-in and 0.016-in titanium memory wires were combined with 6 types of brackets.•The 0.014-in wires produced relatively high force levels that increased with the 0.016-in wire.•Small wires are recommended in leveling and alignment during orthodontic treatment.

IntroductionOur objective was to investigate the effect of archwire cross-section increases on the levels of force applied to teeth during complex malalignment correction with various archwire-bracket combinations using an experimental biomechanical setup.MethodsThe study comprised 3 types of orthodontic brackets: (1) conventional ligating brackets (Victory Series [3M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif] and Mini-Taurus [Rocky Mountain Orthodontics, Denver, Colo]), (2) self-ligating brackets (SmartClip, a passive self-ligating bracket [3M Unitek]; and Time3 [Rocky Mountain Orthodontics, Denver, Colo] and SPEED [Strite Industries, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada], both active self-ligating brackets), and (3) a conventional low-friction bracket (Synergy [Rocky Mountain Orthodontics]). All brackets had a nominal 0.022-in slot size. The brackets were combined with 0.014-in and 0.016-in titanium memory wires, Therma-Ti archwires (American Orthodontics, Sheboygan, Wis). The archwires were tied to the conventional brackets with both stainless steel ligatures of size 0.010-in and elastomeric rings. A malocclusion of the maxillary central incisor displaced 2 mm gingivally (x-axis) and 2 mm labially (z-axis) was simulated.ResultsThe forces recorded when using the 0.014-in archwires ranged from 1.7 ± 0.1 to 5.0 ± 0.3 N in the x-axis direction, and from 1.2 ± 0.1 to 5.5 ± 0.3 N in the z-axis direction. When we used the 0.016-in archwires, the forces ranged from 2.6 ± 0.1 to 6.0 ± 0.3 N in the x-axis direction, and from 2.0 ± 0.2 to 6.0 ± 0.4 N in the z-axis direction. Overall, the increases ranged from 16.0% to 120.0% in the x-axis and from 10.4% to 130.0% in the z-axis directions.ConclusionsIncreasing the cross section of the wire increased the force level invariably with all brackets. Wires of size 0.014 in produced relatively high force levels, and the force level increased with 0.016-in wires.