Analysis of Frictional Forces in Orthodontic TMA Archwire - Ligature Combinations: An Experimental Study

Abstract

Frictional forces are critical for the teeth movement during sliding mechanics in fixed appliance therapy. The ligating material plays a vital role in altering the frictional forces within the bracket-archwire combination. Titanium Molybdenum alloy (TMA) archwires are commonly used during canine/anterior teeth retraction. So, this study evaluated TMA archwires ligated in Stainless steel (SS) brackets with elastic modules and SS ligatures under wet and dry conditions. Results showed the least friction was in TMA-SS ligature (wet condition), ascending through TMA-SS (dry), TMA-Elastic (wet) and TMA-Elastic (dry). Thus, we conclude that TMA archwires with SS ligatures are more beneficial for clinicians for retraction during sliding mechanics.