Ambreen Afzal, Syed Shahbaz, Rauf Shah.
Best fit prefabricated arch.
J Surg Pak Jan ;11(4):154-8.

Objective: To determine the best-fit arch wires using the 3M MBT arch wire system Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical Setting: Orthodontic department, Karachi Medical & Dental College. Patients and Methods: Best-fit arch wire was determined by superimposing scanned image of the occlusal surface of the patients` casts and the three different arch wires (orthoform I, II and III). Results: Two hundred patients were enrolled. In the maxillary arch, none of the arch wires fits best by both cuspid and maximum number of teeth methods (69% and 81%) (P< .001). In the mandibular arch, arch wire fits best by cuspid method is Orthoform I (35%) and Orthoform III (53%) according to maximum number of teeth method (P< .001) Conclusion: It was concluded that when treating Pakistani patients, one should expect to use tapered arch forms in a significant percentage of patients. The current preformed NiTi wires are too wide for many patients and should be modified when these patients are being treated.

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