Designing a novel power loop for an En-masse retractive movement of six upper anterior teeth

• Main Author: Thote, Abhishek M.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Archwires; CAD; Computer aided design; Deformation; Finite element analysis; Finite element method; Orthodontics; Stress concentration; Teeth
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0216836

The power arms are placed bilaterally on the archwire for an en-masse retractive movement of six upper anterior teeth. However, power arms generate more stress concentration and also deforms gradually because they are placed as an extra attachment on the archwire. To resolve this issue, the novel power loop was designed in this orthodontics research. This power loop was modelled as an integral part of the archwire. The power arm was placed in between lateral incisor tooth and canine tooth as an additional attachment. While, the power loop was modelled near extracted first pre-molar region to apply retractive force more parallel to sagittal plane (plane dividing left and right arch of teeth). The computer aided design (CAD) structures of both power arm as well as power loop along with brackets, archwire and surrounding teeth structures were prepared and finite element analysis was performed to compare power arm and power loop. The von-mises (maximum equivalent) stress in power arm was found as approximately 2.5 times greater than in power loop. While, the maximum total deformation in power arm was obtained as approximately 5 times greater than in power loop. Thus, the results of the finite element analysis showed that the power loop is more stable and sturdy structure than power arm. The integral nature of power loop with archwire can be interpreted as one of the reasons for this stability and sturdiness.