Corrosive changes and chemical composition of the orthodontic archwires' surface during treatment

The orthodontic archwires are an integral part of the fixed appliance used for treatment of orthodontic malocclu sions. The chemical composition of the surface of three of the most frequently used archwires in orthodontic treatment worldwide and in Bulgaria is investigated, which consist of the following types of metal alloys: chromium-nickel stainless-steel, nickel-titanium, and titanium-molybdenum. The results of XRD, SEM and EDS show that the main el ement composition of the orthodontic archwires has not been changed for the examined residence time in the patient’s mouth, which is an average of 6 and 10 weeks and the complex oral bacterial flora does not influence them.