Evaluation of the Effect of Different Types of Fluoride on Tensile Properties and Surface Roughness of Different Titanium-Based Archwires: An In vivo Study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of different types of fluoride on tensile properties and surface roughness of titanium based archwires clinically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three groups of archwires, namely nickel-titanium (NiTi), heat activated NiTi, and TMA was evaluated clinically. Each group comprised four subgroups, namely as received group, nonfluoride control group, APF gel group (received one application of 1.23% APF gel), and sodium fluoride mouthwash group (patients rinsed twice daily with 0.2% sodium fluoride mouthwash). All the archwires were removed after 3 weeks of clinical use and evaluated for surface roughness with three dimensional optical profiler. Tensile strength and elongation rate was determined with Instron universal testing machine. RESULTS: NiTi, heat activated NiTi, and TMA archwires with APF gel application showed the highest reduction in tensile strength and elongation rate and highest value for surface roughness, followed by sodium fluoride mouthwash group and finally wires without fluoride application. NiTi wires had the highest reduction in tensile strength with APF gel followed by heat activated NiTi and TMA. CONCLUSION: APF gel with highest concentration of fluoride caused most degradation in the tensile properties and surface roughness of titanium based arch wires.