How have new high-tech archwires changed orthodontics?
Today’s braces are smaller and more efficient. The wires are no longer made solely from stainless steel but are alloys of nickel, titanium, copper and cobalt. Some wire materials are heat-activated, such as the nickel-titanium alloy originally engineered by NASA to automatically activate antennae or solar panels of spacecraft orbiting into the sun’s rays. SureSmile’s “smart” archwires, made from Shape Memory Alloy, return to their configured shape when subjected to body heat, causing the teeth to move steadily toward their target positions. The result may be fewer appointments to make adjustments.
