Evaluation of mechanical properties of esthetic brackets
- 1Division of Orthodontics, Department of Human Development and Fostering, School of Dentistry, Meikai University, Saitama, Japan
- 2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nippon Institute of Technology, Saitama, Japan
- 3Division of Pedodontics, Department of Human Development and Fostering, School of Dentistry, Meikai University, Saitama, Japan
- Shigeyuki Matsui, Division of Orthodontics, Department of Human Development and Fostering, School of Dentistry, Meikai University, Keyakidai 1-1, Sakado, Saitama 350-0248, Japan. Email: matsui{at}dent.meikai.ac.jp
Abstract
Plastic brackets, as well as ceramic brackets, are used in various cases since they have excellent esthetics. However, their mechanical properties remain uncertain. The purpose of this study was to determine how deformation and stress distribution in esthetic brackets differ among materials under the same wire load. Using the digital image correlation method, we discovered the following: (1) the strain of the wings of plastic brackets is within 0.2% and that of ceramic and metal brackets is negligible, (2) polycarbonate brackets having a stainless steel slot show significantly smaller displacement than other plastic brackets, and (3) there is a significant difference between plastic brackets and ceramic and stainless steel brackets in terms of the displacement of the bracket wing.
Article Notes
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Declaration of conflicting interests The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
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Funding This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
- Received October 14, 2014.
- Accepted January 25, 2015.
- © The Author(s) 2015
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