Corrosion resistance of three orthodontic brackets: a comparative study of three fluoride mouthwashes

In the present study, three types of orthodontic brackets were investigated: cobalt-chromium (CoCr), iron-chromium-nickel (FeCrNi) and titanium (Ti) based. Their corrosion resistance was compared with that of platinum (Pt), which was chosen as the reference material because of its excellent electrochemical properties. The test solutions were Elmex (R), Meridol (R) and Acorea (R) fluoride mouthwashes. Fusayama Meyer artificial saliva was used as the reference solution. The corrosion resistance of the different brackets in the three mouthwashes was assessed electrochemically to determine the corrosion potential and corrosion current density, and polarization resistance values were then calculated. A scanning electron microscopic (SEM) study and an analysis of released metal ions confirmed the electrochemical studies. The results showed that the bracket materials could be divided into two groups: Ti and FeCrNi in one, and CoCr, which has properties close to those of Pt, in the other. Similarly, two groups of electrolytes were identified: Elmex (R) and Acorea (R) mouthwashes in one group, and Meridol (R) mouthwash in the second group. The results indicate that because of the risk of corrosion Meridol (R) mouthwash should not be prescribed for patients wearing Ti or FeCrNi-based orthodontic brackets.