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Development of the aesthetic orthodontic appliances using a silver plating process: the report on peel resistance

Nobukazu Shirakawa, Toshio Iwata, Shinjiro Miyake, Takero Otsuka, So Koizumi, Takashi Usui, Toshitsugu Kawata

The aim of this study was to analyse the peel resistance of silver plated wires examined in an intraoral setting. In this study, a 0.016 × 0.016 inch silver plated stainless steel wire and a 0.016 × 0.016 inch Teflon-coated nickel-titanium wire were investigated. The brackets of ceramic and stainless steel were bonded to the first and second bicuspids of two subjects. We investigated peel resistance of the wires three times, at the moment of setting, after 2 days, and after 1 week by using the following: 1) intraoral photographs, 2) stereoscopic microscope photographs, 3) color measurements, and 4) analysis of the surface properties of the silver plated wire after testing by scanning electron microscopy and Energy- Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). The silver plated wire turned black at the slot part of the brackets after 2 days but did not show peeling. The underlying metal was clearly exposed on the Teflon-coated wire. For the silver plated wire, the L* value decreased considerably 2 days after setting, while for the Teflon-coated wire, it decreased between 2 days to 1 week post setting. Sulphur atoms were detected on the silver plated wire. There was no significant peeling observed on the silver plated wire in between the bracket slots over a week. However, the wire turned black in the slot part of the brackets after 2 days.