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ST. PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – It is said that the happiest days of a boat owner’s life are the day he buys the boat and the day he sells it.The same tends to be true for children who gets braces- the excitement soon is replaced by eagerness to complete the treatment.

There are several strategies and appliances St. Paul, Minnesota orthodontist Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth uses to make treatment as quick and effective as possible. One tool in her arsenal is heat-activated nickel-titanium arch wires.Once locked into the metal or ceramic brackets on a patient’s teeth, the temperature inside the mouth causes these arch wires to warm, according to the Colgate Web site (http://www.colgateprofessional.com/patienteducation/Bringing-Teeth-into-Alignment-with-Orthodontic-Treatment/article). This warmth enables the arch wire to apply constant pressure on the teeth to gradually shift them into alignment.

How is that beneficial? When a heat-activated arch wire is bent and then secured into place along misaligned teeth, the mouth’s heat activates the arch wire and causes it to gradually spring back to its original shape, moving the teeth into proper position along the way, said Eisenhuth, a St. Paul braces expert.

3M Unitek pioneered the use of nickel-titanium, also referred to as Nitinol, in orthodontic arch wires more than 20 years ago, the company’s Web site stated. Since then, this technology- which was adapted from NASA- has been favored among many orthodontists.

3M Unitek manufactures three types of Nitinol arch wires and the Nitinol heat-activated wire is the easiest of the three to engage, according to the site. Its light, continuous forces move teeth effectively and can shorten patients’ treatment time, Eisenhuth said. Their flexibility at room temperature also provides for easier ligation, and patients require fewer appointments during their treatment.

The arch wires also cause less discomfort to patients, she said. Nitinol wires gradually apply precise, yet gentle forces to the teeth over time to achieve increased patient comfort while the teeth shift into proper alignment. The force is approximately half that of traditional stainless steel wires.
If a patient experiences discomfort, Eisenhuth advises them to rinse their mouths with cold water, which helps reduce pain by cooling the arch wires and temporarily relieving the pressure.

“These arch wires have been great for the orthodontics field because they are incredibly effective and they cause less discomfort to patients,” she said. “To be able to speed up treatment and decrease the discomfort level creates a win-win for everyone involved.”

By comparison, traditional stainless steel wires were less resilient and needed more frequent adjustments by the orthodontist, according to an Oct. 2008 article on the topic published in the San Antonio Business Journal.

Nitinol- Definition and History
As was mentioned earlier, Nitinol’s use in orthodontics comes from technology developed by NASA. Nitinol is an alloy of nickel and titanium that belongs to a class of materials called shaped memory alloys, according to John Iovine of www.talkingelectronics.com ( http://www.talkingelectronics.com.au/projects/Nitinol/Nitinol-2.html).

Nitinol contracts when it is heated, which is directly opposite to the reaction of standard metals when heated.

Learn More
If you would like to learn more about orthodontic treatment using heat-activated arch wires, you want to learn more about the Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth’s orthodontic practice or you would like to schedule a consultation with her, please call: (651) 406-8100 or visit her Web site: http://doctorjennifer.com/.

About Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth
Dr. Eisenhuth attended the University of Minnesota Dental School and graduated in the top of her class. She earned the Minnesota Association of Orthodontic Achievement Award and several academic achievement awards. She entered her orthodontic residency at the University of Minnesota and earned a certificate in orthodontics and a Master of Science degree.
Dr. Eisenhuth is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics.
She takes pride in caring for the orthodontic needs of residents in the Twin Cities- St. Paul and Minneapolis, and their surrounding regions, including Mendota Heights, Inver Grove Heights, Burnsville, Apple Valley and Eagan, Minnesota.
Her office is located at 3340 Sherman Court, Eagan, Minn., 55121.

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