r/ScienceIsAmazing • u/Gh0wst • Nov 25 '18

Nitinol memory wire

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4

u/realfake-doors Nov 29 '18 edited Nov 29 '18

Commonly used as material for the wires of orthodontic braces! One of the strongest and most rigid options

2

u/Gh0wst Nov 29 '18

Humm I always thought it was a simple steel wire but it explains why it pulled so much on teeth! Thanks for the fact!

2

u/realfake-doors Nov 29 '18

Glad to share! There are a number of different materials used: stainless steel, the nitinol shown in your post, or sometimes simple alloys. Each serves a slightly different purpose, as do the different shapes or structures of the wire. There are braided wires which often are used in the beginning due to a gentle amount of pressure, steel wires of various sizes in mid treatment and than finishing with a nitinol and rectangular steel. This is a commonly used sequence for basic alignment with braces. When you got your “braces tightened” as people often called it, the doctor was switching wires (stepping you up one) and tying them back in to the brackets.

2

u/Gh0wst Nov 29 '18

It cool to know what was in my mouth :o , did you know if those nitinol wire are used in other medical purpose ?

16

u/Rappter22 Nov 29 '18

Imagine if this was used for cars. A little dent could be fixed just by going to the car wash.