Introduction: Orthodontists commonly prescribe fluoride agents and mouth washes to prevent dental caries. Therefore it is important to understand the effects of these on the mechanical properties and surface topography of various orthodontic arch wires. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the changes in the modulus of elasticity (ME) and yield strength (YS) of different archwires upon exposure to different mouthwashes using three point bending test and to study the surface topography of these archwires under Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Material and Method: A sample of 200 wires was divided into 4 groups of 50 pieces each (Group A to D) and were immersed in each of the mouth-wash samples for 90 minutes.
The wire samples were then subjected to 3 point bend test. Load and deflection was measured and data was analysed statistically. Results: There was…
