The effects of bracket, wire conformation and size on the load systems during orthodontic sliding mechanics

Objective: The purpose of this laboratory study was to compare all 6 load components (3 force and 3 moment) acting on 2 different stainless steel brackets as they slide along 3 sizes of stainless steel archwires with 3 different conformations. Materials and Methods: Brackets were attached to a load cell and elastomeric ligated to the wires. As the load cell was pulled along a precision track, the 6 load components (forces and moments in the 3 orthogonal coordinate system) acting on the bracket were recorded. ANOVA was applied to the data. Results: Overall, there were significant differences for all effects (bracket, wire size and wire configuration), for all outcomes (the loads), except the effect of bracket on the force of friction and one of the moment components. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the force of friction associated with sliding mechanics should not be considered in isolation, because factors that affect it also affect the other 5 load components