Abstract
Background. In sliding mechanics, archwires should slide easily during the retraction of anteriors. Round wires slide well, but the torque control is a significant problem. Rectangular wires produce effective torque expression but pose a challenge to free sliding due to factors like friction and force used to overcome friction, etc. To utilize the properties of both wires, the wire should be bi-dimensional. Dual-dimensional wire is one such wire with different dimensions in the anterior and posterior sections. This study aimed to compare the amount of space closure and anchorage loss of molars between the rectangular and dual-dimensional wire groups during retraction with mini-implants.
Methods. Forty patients were randomly allocated to two groups (n=20). Patients with rectangular wires formed the control group, and those with dual-dimensional wires formed the experimental group. Mini-implants and NiTi coil springs were used for retraction. Model and cephalometric analyses were carried out to calculate the amount of space closure and anchor loss, before and four months after the study. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05.
Results. The average amount of space closure was higher with DDW (3.98 mm) than rectangular wire (3.22 mm). The difference was statistically significant. No significant difference was found with anchorage loss.
Conclusion. DDW can be used as an alternative to rectangular wires during retraction with mini-implants; however, it cannot replace the rectangular wires completely. Anchorage control was effective with both wires.