Fracture strength of tie wings in a newly-developed polycarbonate bracket.
- Author:
Min Kyu SUN
1
;
Ki Heon LEE
;
Hyeon Shik HWANG
Author Information
1. Department of Orthodontics, Chonnam National University, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Polycarbonate bracket;
Fracture strength;
Thermocycling;
Universal testing machine
- MeSH:
Orthodontic Appliances;
Seoul
- From:Korean Journal of Orthodontics
2007;37(3):204-211
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: With an increasing demand for esthetic orthodontic appliances, the interest in polycarbonate brackets has also increased. However, polycarbonate bracket wings are prone to fracture. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of a newly-developed polycarbonate bracket by measuring the fracture strength of bracket tie wings. METHODS: Alice (K.M. Daicom, Seoul, Korea) and Spirit MB (Ormco, Glendora, CA, USA) brackets were used as an experimental and control bracket respectively. Each bracket group was divided into halves. One half was untreated and the other half was treated with 2,000 times of thermocycling between 5 degrees C and 55 degrees C. The fracture strength of the wing was measured by a universal testing machine. RESULTS: Alice bracket wings showed significantly higher strength than Spirit MB bracket wings in both untreated and thermocycled bracket cases. CONCLUSION: Alice brackets may be used clinically in terms of the strength of bracket wings.
