2015 AAO Annual Session - Modern Orthodontic Biomaterials: New Answers to Old Questions Affecting Daily Clinical Practice / Programmed Biological Arch Wires: Delivery of Optimal Stresses for Every Tooth in the Arch

Modern Orthodontic Biomaterials: New Answers to Old Questions Affecting Daily Clinical Practice

Orthodontic biomaterials continue to evolve and improve in an attempt to improve the speed and efficiency of orthodontic treatment. This presentation will focus on improved bonding in tough clinical situations ( hypoplastic and fluorosed enamel), bonding to porcelain, prevention and esthetic treatment of white spot lesions, current fears related to allergenicity and BPA, as well as current evidence-based best practises in orthodontic biomaterials selection.

Learning Objectives:

• Manage orthodontic bonding when faced with compromised enamel situations
• Perform evidence-based clinical procedures to prevent and successfully treat unsightly white spot lesions and decalcifications
• Assess and propose safe orthodontic biomaterials choices for all patients

Programmed Biological Arch Wires: Delivery of Optimal Stresses for Every Tooth in the Arch

An ideal orthodontic archwire should deliver similar optimum stresses to every tooth in the arch. The design of such an archwire should take into account the interbracket distances of an appliance and material properties of the orthodontic alloy, optimizing them simultaneously for each interbracket distance. Currently, there is no archwire that takes these variables into account for optimum orthodontic alignment. Hence, alignment must be performed with a sequence of progressively stiff archwires for optimum efficiency. Laser-mediated high-resolution stiffness modification of orthodontic archwires is a new breakthrough technology that has made the construction of such programmed archwires possible in several types of orthodontic alloys. This lecture will demonstrate how this completely customizable archwire was designed using finite element analysis and experimental testing.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify which variables affect optimum orthodontic alignment
• Evaluate how archwire design can take these variables into account