Orthodontic Arch wires For Braces

Arch wires are those wires that are stretched around your upper and lower dental arches. The purpose of arch wires is to attach your braces to your teeth so that they move into the desired position.

Arch wire material can differ from one orthodontist to another, and from case to case. Arch wires can be manufactured from various metals. The most commonly used arch wires are made of stainless steel, Nickel-titanium and beta titanium. Your orthodontist will decide which of these is going to be put around your teeth. He will decide on a material only after settling on the procedure to follow for you.

Each material has its own special advantages and disadvantages. Stainless steel is used mainly because it does not rust when it comes in contact with saliva. Stainless steel is also flexible enough to let your orthodontist adjust the arch wires according to his plan of treatment. However, if you have crooked teeth, your orthodontist will most likely rule out the option of putting steel wires around them because in the beginning at least, your teeth will need to have something very elastic that can help it pull back into its desired shape. That does not happen with stainless steel, and the wires instead may assume a new shape altogether. That's the only drawback of stainless steel arch wires.

Your orthodontist will probably have one of those bouncy and flexible Ni-Ti wires around your crooked teeth, at least in the initial stages. The reason an orthodontist would pick a Ni-Ti wire is because these do not apply extreme pressure to your teeth. Plus, they don’t seem very harsh on your tongue and soft inner tissues either. That makes Ni-Ti one of the most comfortable options for you. This is the best option during the initial stages of your treatment.  These wires are also quite elastic and quickly bounce back to their earlier shape.

Beta-Titanium wires are most commonly used by an orthodontist to bridge the period between the application of the Ni- Ti wire and the stainless steel wire. That is because it is neither as flexible as the Ni-Ti wires, nor as rigid as the stainless steel wire This trait is also what makes it a perfect bridge that forms a middle ground between the two wires.

So what wire will the orthodontist use on you?   Some dentists prefer a Ni-Ti wire while others may prefer a stainless steel wire.  Generally, you can expect your dentist to begin orthodontic treatment with the flexible and comfortable Ni-Ti wires and then progress to stainless steel or beta –titanium wires along the way.