Search

Background: Orthodontic archwires undergo various sterilization procedures to ensure they are free of microbial contamination before clinical use. However, the impact of these sterilization methods on the surface roughness of different types of archwires is not well understood. Materials and Methods: In this study, we evaluated the effect of three common sterilization methods (autoclaving, dry heat, and chemical sterilization) on the surface roughness of three types of orthodontic archwires: stainless steel, nickel-titanium, and beta-titanium. A total of 90 archwire samples (30 of each type) were divided into three groups, each subjected to one of the sterilization methods. Surface roughness was measured using a profilometer before and after sterilization. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and post hoc tests to determine significant differences. Results: The results indicated that autoclaving significantly increased the surface roughness of nickel-titanium archwires (mean increase of 0.12 μm, P < 0.05) compared to dry heat and chemical sterilization. Stainless steel archwires showed a moderate increase in surface roughness with autoclaving (mean increase of 0.08 μm, P < 0.05), while beta-titanium archwires exhibited the least change across all sterilization methods (mean increase of 0.03 μm, P > 0.05). Dry heat sterilization had a minimal effect on the surface roughness of all archwire types, whereas chemical sterilization showed a significant increase in roughness for stainless steel archwires (mean increase of 0.10 μm, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Sterilization methods, particularly autoclaving, can adversely affect the surface roughness of orthodontic archwires, potentially impacting clinical performance.