In vitro assessment of shape memory effect and pseudoelastic response of smarter alloy shape memory alloy orthodontic archwire

随着加拿大人越来越重视他们的口腔健康，这一领域的研究变得越来越重要。一个关键的兴趣领域是正畸治疗。在使用牙套的正畸治疗中，弓丝是通过附着在牙齿上的托槽向牙齿传递载荷的关键元件。因此，研究弓丝的生物力学对于理解在整个治疗过程中施加的载荷是如何影响牙齿运动的是必要的。Smarter Alloys Inc.开发了一种工艺，通过该工艺，他们可以改变镍钛基形状记忆合金（SMA）弧线的局部材料特性。这使得临床医生可以选择围绕弓丝的可变刚度，从而促进某些区域的牙齿运动，同时防止其他区域的牙齿运动。阿尔伯塔大学正畸生物力学测试和开发组有一套实验模拟设备来研究正畸矫治器的生物力学。它们允许研究单个支架和拱丝之间的旋转力学，支架和拱丝之间相对滑动时的摩擦，以及拱周围负载的传播。这些设备将用于测量由smart Alloys技术和传统SMA拱线加工产生的载荷。实验结果将阐明SMA弓丝的加工如何影响其与托槽的相互作用，以及这些加工过的弓丝与正畸治疗中通常使用的弓丝的比较。这项工作将为esmarter Alloys提供有价值的信息，使其能够改进其产品，并在整体上为正畸生物力学的研究做出重大贡献。

As Canadians continue to place added significance on their oral health, research in this area has becomeincreasingly important. One key area of interest is orthodontic treatment. In orthodontic treatment using braces,the archwire is the key element that delivers loads to teeth through brackets which are attached to the tooth. Assuch, research into the biomechanics of archwires is imperative in the understanding of how applied loadseffect tooth movement throughout treatment. Smarter Alloys Inc. has developed a process by which they alterthe local material characteristics of nickel-titanium based shape memory alloy (SMA) archwires. This allowsclinicians the option of variable stiffness around an archwire, thereby facilitating tooth movement in certainregions while preventing it in others. The Orthodontic Biomechanics Testing and Development Group at theUniversity of Alberta has a suite of experimental simulation equipment to study the biomechanics oforthodontic appliances. They allow for the study of rotational mechanics between a single bracket andarchwire, the friction between a bracket and archwire as they slide relative to one another, and the propagationof loads around the arch. These pieces of equipment will be utilized to measure the loads generated byprocessed archwires using Smarter Alloys techniques as well as conventional SMA archwires. Experimentalfindings will elucidate how processing of SMA archwires influences their interactions with brackets and howthese processed archwires compare to those typically used in orthodontic treatment. This work will provideSmarter Alloys with valuable information allowing for the improvement of their product as well assignificantly contribute to the study of orthodontic biomechanics on the whole.