RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the difference in surface roughness of stainless steel archwires of different commercial brands used in lingual orthodontics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Precontoured arches measuring 0.016'' × 0.022'' were selected of the following brands: Tecnident, Adenta, G&H, Highland Metals Inc., Ormco, Incognito, and Ebraces. Quantitative evaluation of the surface roughness of archwires was performed by means of an atomic force microscope in contact mode. Three surface readouts were taken of each sample, analyzing areas of 20 × 20 µm. Each scan of the samples produced a readout of 512 lines, generating three-dimensional images of the wires. The analysis of variance statistical test was applied to prove significant variables (p > 0.05), with H0 being rejected and H1 accepted. RESULTS: The Incognito brand showed the lowest surface roughness. The archwires of brands Adenta, Tecnident, Highland, and Ormco showed similar values among them, and all close to these obtained by the Incognito brand. The archwires of the Ebraces brand showed the highest surface roughness, with values being close to those of the G&H Brand. CONCLUSION: There was a statistical difference in surface roughness of orthodontic archwires among the brands studied. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Companies should pay attention to the quality control of their materials, as these may directly affect the quality of orthodontic treatment.
