Özet:

The aim of this study was to introduce antimicrobial activity to stainless steel orthodontic arch wires by coating them with TiO2 in anatase form. Stainless steel (0.016 × 0.022 inch), D-rect (0.016 × 0.022 inch), and multistranded hammered retainer wires (0.014 × 0.018 inch) were coated with TiO2 anatase by the sol-gel dip coating method. The wires were assessed for their photocatalytic antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, and Enterococcus faecalis. After illumination under UVA (315-400 nm) at 1.0 mW/cm2 for 1 h, the reduction efficiencies of the anatase-coated arch wires were calculated by using colony-forming unit counts. All anatase-coated arch wires showed remarkable inhibitor effects against the test microorganisms under UVA. The most efficient wire on S. mutans was the stainless steel wire, with a 99.99% reduction in growth, but multistranded hammered retainer wire was the most active against both C. albicans and E. faecalis, with 98.0% and 91.68% reduction rates, respectively. TiO2-coated arch wires exposed to UVA illumination showed significant antimicrobial activity when compared with uncoated samples and coated, but not UVA-exposed, samples. Our results suggest that the antimicrobial effect of TiO2-coated arch wires in long-lasting orthodontic treatments would be beneficial for the prophylaxis of caries.

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