Sapporo Medical Journal

Abstract : The objective was to obtain detailed 3D images of the surface at an atomic level using Atomic Force Microscopy to assess the topography and roughness of three common orthodontic archwires: St.St, CuNiTi, and super-elastic NiTi .The sample included Thirty pieces cut from 15 archwires, all sourced from Ormco with uniform dimensions of “16x22” inches. Various roughness parameters, including Sa, Sq, and Sz were used to quantify the surface roughness. Further imaging was done using electron scan microscope (ESM) at magnification power X200, X400, X600 to capture a larger area of the surface. There was a significant decrease in surface roughness by stainless steel group over NiTi and Cu-NiTi groups. No significant difference was found between Niti and CuNiti groups Conclusions: Significant variations in surface roughness were observed among different types. Detailed analysis of surface topography revealed distinct features, such as scratches, pits, and grooves, that should be avoided by optimizing manufacturing processes to minimize surface defects and improve clinical performance. Stainless steel archwires exhibited the smoothest surface with statistically significant difference than the other groups.The difference in roughness between CuNiTi and NiTi was not statistically significant.The combined use of AFM and SEM provided a comprehensive understanding of surface characteristics, from nanoscale featur