Estudo qualitativo fotoelástico do sistema de forças gerado pela mola "T" de retração com diferentes pré-ativações Qualitative photoelastic study of the force system produced by retraction T-springs with different preactivations

OBJETIVO: avaliar o sistema de forças gerado pela mola T utilizada para fechamento de espaços. MÉTODOS: por meio do método experimental fotoelástico, avaliou-se a mola T utilizada no fechamento de espaços com duas variações de pré-ativação em sua porção apical, sendo uma com 30º e a outra com 45º. As molas foram confeccionadas com fio retangular de titânio-molibdênio (TMA) de secção 0,017" x 0,025", centralizadas no espaço interbraquetes de 27mm e ativadas em 5,0mm, 2,5mm e posição neutra. Para melhor confiabilidade dos resultados, os testes foram repetidos em três modelos fotoelásticos igualmente reproduzidos e confeccionados pelo mesmo operador. Para compreensão dos resultados, as franjas fotoelásticas visualizadas no polariscópio foram fotografadas e analisadas qualitativamente. RESULTADOS: por meio da análise qualitativa da ordem de franjas no modelo fotoelástico, notou-se que, nas extremidades de retração e ancoragem, a mola T com 30º de ativação apical apresentou um acúmulo de energia discretamente maior para o sistema de forças liberado.<br>OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the force system produced by the T-spring used for space closure. METHODS: By means of the experimental photoelastic method, we evaluated the T-spring-used for space closure-with two different preactivations on its apical portion, i.e., one with 30° and one with 45º. The springs were fabricated with rectangular 0.017 X 0.025-in titanium-molybdenum alloy (TMA), centered in a 27.0 mm interbracket space and activated at 5.0 mm and 2.5 mm, and in a neutral position. For more reliable results, tests were repeated on three photoelastic models duplicated and prepared by the same operator. To better understand the results, the fringes seen in the polariscope were photographed and analyzed qualitatively. RESULTS: Through qualitative analysis of the fringe order in the photoelastic model it was noted that at the retraction and anchoring ends the T-spring with 30° apical activation showed a slightly greater accumulation of energy relative to the force system that was generated

Evaluation of frictional forces between ceramic brackets and archwires of different alloys compared with metal brackets

The aim of this study was to evaluate, in vitro, frictional forces produced by ceramic brackets and arch wires of different alloys. Frictional tests were performed on three ceramic brackets: monocrystalline (Inspire ICE), polycrystalline (InVu), polycrystalline with metal slot (Clarity), and one stainless steel bracket (Dyna-Lock). Thirty brackets of each were tested, all with .022" slots, in combination with stainless steel and nickel-titanium wires .019" × .025", at 0° and 10° angulation, in artificial saliva. Arch wires were pulled through the slots at a crosshead speed of 10 mm/min. There were statistically significant differences between the groups of brackets and wires studied (p < .05). The polycrystalline brackets with metal slots had values similar to those of conventional polycrystalline brackets, and the monocrystalline brackets had the highest frictional forces. The nickel-titanium wires produced the lowest friction. The addition of metal slots in the polycrystalline brackets did not significantly decrease frictional values. Nickel-titanium wires produced lower friction than those of stainless steel