Stainless Steel: Material Facts for the Orthodontic Practitioner

Abstract. Stainless steel is one of the most widely used materials in current orthodontics. Archwires, brackets, bands, ligatures, tubes, among other appliances, are manufactured using different types of this alloy. The first evidence of the use of this alloy in the orthodontic field dates back to the mid-1920s, when it was introduced as a material to manufacture wires. The alloy has ever since gained popularity among orthodontists and its further development has led to its widespread use in today’s different orthodontic techniques. Despite being available for more than 80 years, and the fact that most orthodontists use it on a daily basis, there is still a lack of knowledge about the basic principles, composition, and properties of this material by these professionals. Therefore, the purpose of this literature review is to discuss the main characteristics and properties of stainless steel that are useful in the orthodontic practice for orthodontists to take advantage of this remarkable material.

[1]  T. Enta.  Nickel sensitivity in women. , 1974, Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien.

[2]  J. Sandy,et al.  Corrosion of orthodontic appliances--should we care? , 2008, American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics : official publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, its constituent societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics.

[3]  G. Andreasen,et al.  Surface corrosion of nitinol and stainless steel under clinical conditions. , 1981, The Angle orthodontist.

[4]  N. Jacobsen,et al.  Changes in occupational health problems and adverse patient reactions in orthodontics from 1987 to 2000. , 2003, European journal of orthodontics.

[5]  Kyoung-Nam Kim,et al.  A stainless steel bracket for orthodontic application. , 2005, European journal of orthodontics.

[6]  Allan Linneberg,et al.  The epidemiology of contact allergy in the general population – prevalence and main findings , 2007, Contact dermatitis.

[7]  L. Marques,et al.  Prevalence of nickel allergy and longitudinal evaluation of periodontal abnormalities in orthodontic allergic patients. , 2009, The Angle orthodontist.

[8]  T. Chaturvedi,et al.  An overview of orthodontic material degradation in oral cavity. , 2010, Indian journal of dental research : official publication of Indian Society for Dental Research.

[9]  J. Sakai,et al.  Degradation in performance of orthodontic wires caused by hydrogen absorption during short-term immersion in 2.0% acidulated phosphate fluoride solution. , 2004, Angle Orthodontist.

[10]  B. Fricke,et al.  Mechanical properties and surface characterization of beta titanium and stainless steel orthodontic wire following topical fluoride treatment. , 2007, The Angle orthodontist.

[11]  I. Costa,et al.  In vitro Evaluation of Corrosion and Cytotoxicity of Orthodontic Brackets , 2007, Journal of dental research.

[12]  J. McCabe,et al.  Applied Dental Materials , 1985 .

[13]  A. Funk.  The heat-treatment of stainless steel. , 1951, The Angle orthodontist.

[14]  R. Kusy.  A review of contemporary archwires: their properties and characteristics. , 2010, The Angle orthodontist.

[15]  Young-Sik Kim,et al.  Properties of super stainless steels for orthodontic applications. , 2004, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part B, Applied biomaterials.

[16]  J. Kirkup.  From flint to stainless steel: observations on surgical instrument composition. , 1993, Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

[17]  Her-Hsiung Huang,et al.  Surface analysis and corrosion resistance of different stainless steel orthodontic brackets in artificial saliva. , 2006, The Angle orthodontist.

[18]  M. Aydinol,et al.  DETERMINATION OF SUSCEPTIBILITY TO INTERGRANULAR CORROSION AND ELECTROCHEMICAL REACTIVATION BEHAVIOUR OF AISI 316L TYPE STAINLESS STEEL , 2006 .

[19]  S. Maruthamuthu,et al.  Molecular identification and corrosion behaviour of manganese oxidizers on orthodontic wires , 2008 .

[20]  K. Ison,et al.  Frictional resistance between orthodontic brackets and archwires in the buccal segments. , 2009, The Angle orthodontist.

[21]  R. W. Kohl.  Metallurgy In Orthodontics , 2009 .

[22]  P. Rossouw.  Friction: an overview , 2003 .

[23]  F. C. Campbell.  Elements of Metallurgy and Engineering Alloys , 2008 .

[24]  L. Menezes,et al.  Nickel, chromium and iron levels in the saliva of patients with simulated fixed orthodontic appliances. , 2008 .

[25]  Thilander Bl.  Complications of orthodontic treatment. , 1992 .

[26]  APLICACIONES DE LOS ACEROS INOXIDABLES , 2013 .

[27]  L. Menezes,et al.  Hypersensitivity to metals in orthodontics. , 2004, American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics : official publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, its constituent societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics.

[28]  J. V. von Fraunhofer,et al.  Frictional resistances using Teflon-coated ligatures with various bracket-archwire combinations. , 1995, The Angle orthodontist.

[29]  G. Schmalz,et al.  Biocompatibility of Dental Materials , 2008 .

[30]  Jung-Gu Kim,et al.  Influences of passivating elements on the corrosion and biocompatibility of super stainless steels. , 2008, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part B, Applied biomaterials.

[31]  R. Nikolai.  Orthodontic wire: a continuing evolution. , 1997, Seminars in orthodontics.

[32]  R P Kusy,et al.  Comparison of the frictional coefficients for selected archwire-bracket slot combinations in the dry and wet states. , 2009, The Angle orthodontist.

[33]  R Schwestka-Polly,et al.  Reduction of biofilm on orthodontic brackets with the use of a polytetrafluoroethylene coating. , 2010, European journal of orthodontics.

[34]  C. Kao,et al.  Cytotoxicity of orthodontic wire corroded in fluoride solution in vitro. , 2007, The Angle orthodontist.

[35]  R. Kusy.  Orthodontic biomaterials: from the past to the present. , 2009, The Angle orthodontist.

[36]  C H Ingerslev.  Influence of heat treatment on the physical properties of bent orthodontic wire. , 1966, The Angle orthodontist.

[37]  Aleksandra Kocijan,et al.  THE CORROSION BEHAVIOUR OF AUSTENITIC AND DUPLEX STAINLESS STEELS IN ARTIFICIAL BODY FLUIDS KOROZIJSKO VEDENJE AVSTENITNEGA IN DUPLEKSNEGA NERJAVNEGA JEKLA V SIMULIRANIH TELESNIH TEKO^INAH , 2010 .

[38]  M. Pithon,et al.  Friction between different wire bracket combinations in artificial saliva – an in vitro evaluation , 2011, Journal of applied oral science : revista FOB.

[39]  Theodore Eliades,et al.  Structure, composition, and mechanical properties of Australian orthodontic wires. , 2009, The Angle orthodontist.

[40]  H. Kim,et al.  Corrosion of stainless steel, nickel-titanium, coated nickel-titanium, and titanium orthodontic wires. , 2010, The Angle orthodontist.

[41]  W. Wiltshire,et al.  Nickel allergy and orthodontics, a review and report of two cases , 2008, BDJ.

[42]  G Willems,et al.  Dynamic frictional behaviour of orthodontic archwires and brackets. , 2004, European journal of orthodontics.

[43]  W. Brantley,et al.  Effects of a diamond-like carbon coating on the frictional properties of orthodontic wires. , 2011, The Angle orthodontist.

[44]  H. Kerosuo,et al.  Face and neck dermatitis from a stainless steel orthodontic appliance. , 2009, The Angle orthodontist.

[45]  H. Craig.  Stress Corrosion—New Approaches , 1976 .

[46]  T. Estlander,et al.  Nickel release from metals, and a case of allergic contact dermatitis from stainless steel , 1994, Contact dermatitis.

[47]  C. Klersy,et al.  Chromium release from new stainless steel, recycled and nickel-free orthodontic brackets. , 2009, The Angle orthodontist.

[48]  C. Bindslev‐Jensen,et al.  Nickel sensitization in adolescents and association with ear piercing, use of dental braces and hand eczema. The Odense Adolescence Cohort Study on Atopic Diseases and Dermatitis (TOACS). , 2002, Acta dermato-venereologica.

[49]  F. Cardarelli.  Materials Handbook — a concise desktop reference: Pub 2000, ISBN 1-85233-168-2. 595 pages, £80 , 2001 .

[50]  Kazuo Hayashi,et al.  Galvanic corrosion behavior of orthodontic archwire alloys coupled to bracket alloys. , 2009, The Angle orthodontist.

[51]  R. G. Craig,et al.  Application of 17-7 Precipitation-hardenable Stainless Steel in Dentistry , 1965, Journal of dental research.

[52]  Hom-lay Wang,et al.  Dental implants for orthodontic anchorage. , 2005, American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics : official publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, its constituent societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics.

[53]  R. Williams.  Restorative dental materials , 1965 .

[54]  R. A. Bell,et al.  Adverse hypersensitivity reactions in orthodontics , 2004 .

[55]  A. Gwinnett,et al.  Reducing white spot lesions in orthodontic populations with fluoride rinsing. , 1992, American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics : official publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, its constituent societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics.

[56]  T. Eliades,et al.  1 Structures and Properties of Orthodontic Materials , 2001 .

[57]  A. Consolaro,et al.  Nickel hypersensitivity reaction before, during, and after orthodontic therapy. , 1998, American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics : official publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, its constituent societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics.

[58]  Kyoung-Nam Kim,et al.  Ion release and cytotoxicity of stainless steel wires. , 2005, European journal of orthodontics.

[59]  R. de Biasi,et al.  Martensitic transformation of austenitic stainless steel orthodontic wires during intraoral exposure. , 2010, American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics : official publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, its constituent societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics.

[60]  L. Ripa,et al.  Effects of self-applied topical fluoride preparations in orthodontic patients. , 2009, The Angle orthodontist.

[61]  Harold M. Cobb,et al.  The History of Stainless Steel , 2010 .

[62]  Jyothindra Kumar,et al.  Comparative evaluation of frictional characteristics of coated low friction ligatures - Super Slick Ties with conventional uncoated ligatures. , 2011, Indian journal of dental research : official publication of Indian Society for Dental Research.

[63]  I. Costa,et al.  A Comparative Study of the Corrosion Resistance of Stainless Steels Obtained by Powder Metallurgy Techniques for Application in Dental Prosthesis , 2010 .

[64]  J. Wilkinson,et al.  Reduced frequency of nickel allergy upon oral nickel contact at an early age , 1991, Clinical and experimental immunology.