Abstract
This study investigated the material design for controlling the orthodontic force of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) wires consisting of CaO-P2O5-SiO2-Al2O3 (CPSA) glass fibers and poly-methyl-methacrylate matrix. The dependence of elastic modulus and orthodontic force on the diameter of FRP wires and the diameter or volume fraction of CPSA glass fibers were measured by a three-point flexural test. The changes in elastic properties, moreover, were examined for immersion in artificial saliva for 30 days. The results revealed that the FRP wire possessing the required orthodontic force (P) could be obtained from the relation of P 8.6×1011D4 (0.68 Vf+3.14), where D=diameter of FRP wires, Vf=volume fraction of CPSA glass fibers in FRP wires.
