Nickel Titanium Archwires
4 products
About nickel titanium archwires
Nickel-titanium archwires came into orthodontics in the early 1970s, and their flexibility, shape memory and superelastic behaviour let them deliver continuous light forces over a long period. They are made by alloying nickel with titanium at high temperature and then heating and cooling it in set ways, which is what produces the shape memory and the superelasticity. A review calls those properties critical where a gradual, consistent force is wanted, particularly in the early stages of treatment.
Very flexible and superelastic, but a review found these wires show higher friction than steel because of surface roughness. The alloying and cooling often leave surface oxides and unevenness, giving a relatively rough texture compared with other archwire materials.
Sources: Frictional resistance in orthodontic archwires: A comprehensive review, 2025 (J Orthod Sci)