Archwires & Other Auxillaries

What are the three phases of orthodontic treatment?

• Alignment

• Space closing & elastics

• Detailing

What is the function of an archwire?

Fits into bracket slots & applies force to move teeth

What is the difference between an active and passive archwire?

• Active = exerts force to move teeth

• Passive = exerts no force

What are the four main archwire types?

• Nickel titanium (NiTi)

• Stainless steel

• Beta titanium

• Copper Nickel Titanium

What are the characteristics of NiTi archwires?

• Flexible (used for initial alignment)

• Rotation correction

• Early torque

What are the characteristics of stainless steel archwires?

• Rigid & Strong

• Holds bends

  • Used for stability & final wires

What are the characteristics of beta titanium archwires?

• Hybrid of NiTi & stainless steel

• Holds bends while maintaining residual force

What are the characteristics of copper NiTi archwires?

Provides low forces & allows easy transition to larger wires

What are the three multi stranded archwires?

• Coaxial

• Braided

• Twisted

What are the three archwire adjustments?

• Torque

• Loops

• Step up/down bends

What is torque used for?

Moves the crown or tooth in the lingual or buccal direction

What are loops used for?

Closing spaces & maintaining archwire retraction

What are step-up & & step-down bends used for?

Lingual/buccal movement and intrusion/extrusion of a tooth

What are the three ligature systems?

• Elastic

• Metal

• Self-ligating

What is a power chain?

An elastic chain used to gradually close spaces between teeth

What is the purpose of elastic ligature ties?

Secure the archwire into the bracket slot

How are the metal ligatures placed?

• Around the four bracket wings over the archwire

• Twisted tight

• Pigtail cut to 2-3mm then tucked under the wire

What is an open coil spring used for?

Opening space for tooth positioning

What is a closed coil spring used for?

Retraction & closing spaces between teeth