Frictionless mechanics
Presenter: Dr Tanya Agarwal
PG-2nd yr
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Contents
• Introduction
• Goals of space closure
• Various methods of space closure
• Anchorage
• Biomechanical perspective
• Determinants of space closure
• Closing loops
• Different types of loops
• Single canine v/s en masse retraction
• Advantages of frictionless mechanics
• Disadvantages of frictionless mechanics
• Bibliography
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INTRODUCTION
Mechanics-is the discipline that describes the effect of forces on
bodies.
Biomechanics-study of mechanics when it affects the biologic
systems.
Space closure is an important step in mechanotherapy, solely
dictated by clinician treatment objective, irrespective of method
employed.
Based on diagnosis & treatment plan
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• IT IS THE FORCE THAT RESISTS THE MOVEMENT OF
ONE OBJECT OVER ANOTHER, RESULTING IN HEAT.
THE FORCE ACTS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO
THE WAY AN OBJECT WANTS TO SLIDE.
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"Frictional" system/ sliding
mechanics
canine, through application
of a force, is expected to
slide distally along the
archwire though brackets
and tubes and is guided by a Non -frictional system /segmental
continuous arch wire mechanics,
forces and couples built
into the loops of an arch
section. Involves closing
loops fabricated either in
a full or sectional arch
wire.
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Frictional mechanics Frictionless mechanics
• Can not be used with sectional • Can be used with sectional wires
wires • Uses biologic orthodontic forces
• Used extraoral or intraoral • Known force system but in
forces continuous arch becomes
• Less wire bending and less indeterminant
chairside time • Differential forces in two
• Maintains arch form segments
• Less rotations • No friction
• Faster tooth movement
• Reduced tipping
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GOALS OF SPACE CLOSURE
• The six goals to be considered for any universal method of
space closure:
(1) Differential space closure.
(2) Minimum patient cooperation.
(3) Axial inclination control
(4) Control of rotations and arch width.
(5) Optimum biologic response.
(6) Operator convenience.
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Various methods of space closure
Single step Retraction Two Step Retraction
• En masse Retraction Step I- Canine retraction
1. Frictional method 1. Continuous wire or
2. Frictionless technique frictional method
2. sectional method or
frictionless technique
Step II- retraction of four incisors
1. continuous wire
2. Frictionless technique
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What is frictionless mechanics
• In frictionless mechanics, teeth are moved without
the brackets sliding over the archwire.
• Retraction is accomplished with the help of loops or
springs. Loops
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Frictionless mechanics
• Loops/ springs
• Activated
• Undistorted position- energy stored- tooth
movement- more precise anchorage control-
treatment goals.
• Frictionless mechanics:
sectionally- individual teeth
continous- several teeth
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ANCHORAGE
• Anchorage is the resistance to unwanted
tooth movement & is commonly described
as the desired reaction of posterior teeth to
space closure mechanotherapy to achieve
treatment goals
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Anchorage classification
75% or more of extraction space is
needed for anterior retraction
Symmetric space closure
75% or more of extraction space
is achieved by mesial movement
of posteriors
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Biomechanical perspective
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Group A
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DIFFERENTIAL FORCE SYSTEMS
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Determinants of space closure
• Amount of crowding
• Anchorage
• Axial inclinations of canines
• Midline discrepancies and left right symmetry.
• Vertical dimension
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• Amount of crowding
Extractions are usually done to relieve dental
crowding. In severe crowding case anchorage
control becomes very important.
Maintenance of anchorage while creating
space for incisor alignment is necessary in
order to meet the treatment objectives
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• Anchorage
Control of the molar position is an obvious
necessity in space closure.
Inadvertent anchorage loss can prevent
correction of antero-posterior malocclusion
(class II, class III) – especially important in
extraction space closure cases.
Traditional anchorage reinforcement methods
are : headgear, palatal arch, lip bumpers,
increasing the number of teeth in anchorage unit
etc.
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• Axial inclination of canines &
incisors
The same force /and or moment
applied to teeth with different
axial inclinations will result in
different types of tooth
movement.
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• Midline discrepancy & left/right symmetry
Midline discrepancies with/without an
asymmetric right and left occlusal relationship
should be corrected as early as possible in
treatment.
Eliminating asymmetries early in the treatment
allows the remainder of the therapy to be
completed symmetrically
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• Vertical dimension
Undesired vertical extrusive forces on the
posterior teeth may result in increased lower
facial height, increased interlabial gap, and
excessive gingival display (Gummy smile).
vertical forces associated class II elastics may
result in this problem.
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CLOSING LOOPS
• Since closing loops deliver frictionless forces, the tissues of
the periodontium experience more continuous stresses.
• There are several advantages to the use of closing loops as
well as numerous design options. While loop designs are
numerous, there are many reasons for choosing one
configuration over another. Preference for a particular closing
loop is often based on its simplicity of fabrication and
efficacy.
• Three important criteria in the use of closing loops are:
loop position
loop pre-activation
loop design 27
LOOP POSITION
• When retracting the anterior teeth, continuous
closing loops are typically placed immediately
distal to the lateral incisors or canine, as it
allows for repeated activation of the loop as
the space closes
• Recent research has shown that a change in
position of the loop can augment or reduce the
posterior anchorage needed for a given patient.
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LOOP POSITION
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LOOP POSITION
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Loop pre-activation
• The moment occurring through activation, “activation
moment” alone is insufficient to produce an adequate
force system necessary for root control. Indeed,
“residual moment” is needed by the way of gable
bends in the arch-form adjacent to the loops to
increase root control
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• When a closing loop is activated, the anterior
and posterior postion of the archwire deflects
away from the parallel orientation, when the
closing loop arch wire is engaged in brackets
moment is felt by both the segments
• The moment acting on the archwire, in turn are
delivered to the teeth as the wire deactivates
and encourages root control during space
closure
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LOOP PREACTIVATION
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Loop Design
• Proper positioning and gabling are essential features of
controlled space closure using closing loop mechanics.
The final key, however, to efficiency and space closure
control is loop design.
• Ideal loop designs should meet a number of criteria,
Loop should accommodate a large activation
Exhibit a low load deflection characteristics
Be comfortable for patient
Easily fabricated.
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• For ex – a standard vertical loop, 6mm in ht made in 18
x 25 SS, delivers a very high amount of force when
activated 2-3 mm i.e 1000 gms, this will cause
discomfort to the patient and will tend to overpower the
moments, resulting in loss of anchorage and root control
• To meet such criteria of ideal closing loop, design can be
altered by
– Incorporating additional wire in the design, reducing
the amount of force
– Increase the amount of wire in the loop, helices may
be given or the height of the loop may be increased
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The mechanism
• Addition of a loop in arch wire essentially creates two
sections of wire, an anterior and a posterior.
• If the loop is placed asymmetrically, the anterior and
posterior sections of wire become unequal in length.
• The greater stiffness of the shorter section of an off-
centered loop acts to create a greater moment
relative to the longer section.
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• Since M/F ratio determines the type of movement,
one tooth is encouraged to translate and the other is
initially encouraged to tip.
• In this way, differential tooth movement and antero-
posterior anchorage may be established by
producing differential moments through careful
placement of the closing loop.
• During canine retraction, posterior anchorage can be
increased by either offsetting the loop to the
posterior or to anterior and increasing the posterior
moment by the way of unequal gable bends.
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Space closure with frictionless mechanics
• According to Charles
Burstone, the moment
to force ratio needed
for translation is 10:1.
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Different types of loops
1. Burstone T loop retraction spring
2. Rickett’s canine retractor
3. PG (Paul Gjessing) retraction spring
4. Delta loop
5. Open vertical loop
6. Closed vertical loop
6. Bull loop (by Salzmann)
8. The R (Rectangular) loop
9. Vertical loop with helix
10. Omega loop
11. Opus loop
12. KSIR
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Burstone T Loop Retraction spring:
One of the more versatile space closing devices
avaiable
Design is optimized by placing additional wire further
apically. The additional wire serves two purposes:
•It lowers the load-deflection rate
•Increases the moment-to-force ratio. 40
• TMA spring : 0.017 x 0.025.
• The heavier base arch which fits into the
0.018×0.025 auxiliary tube of the first molar is
important,
• it allows positive orientation of the spring.
• capable of withstanding, without permanent
deformation, the higher moments that are
needed for anchorage control.
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MAXIMUM POSTERIOR ANCHORAGE: GROUP A
SPACE CLOSURE
• posterior M/F ratio(beta
M/F ratio) > anterior
M/F ratio (alpha M/F
ratio).
• posterior attachment or
buccal tube.
• 1-2mm off centering is
required
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• Activation of 4 mm
• reduces the horizontal
force without affecting
the moment difference.
• force system acting on
anterior segment favors
tipping tooth
movement
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• reactivated when 2 mm or
less of activation remain
• beta moment is greater
then alpha moment , a
vertical intrusive force acts
on anterior segment.
• posterior occlusal plane
can be steeped by the
extrusive force.
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• Maintaining adequate horizontal force helps
to reduce this effect.
• A High pull headgear can also be used to
control the posterior occlusal plane.
• It is likely that root correction will be required
at the end of space closure.
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Group B:symmemtric space closure
• Simplest
• Equal translation of anterior & posterior segment
• Equal & opposite moments & forces
• T loop spring is ceneterd
• Distance = interbracket distance-activation
2
• Distance- length of anterior & posterior arms
• Activation- mm of activation usually 6mm
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MAXIMUM ANTERIOR ANCHORAGE :( Group C
anchorage)
• most difficult of all space • Care must be taken that
closure pocedures. the anterior wire
• The increased alpha segment achieves full
moment has a tendency bracket engagement
to deepen the overbite. because play can reduce
• placed 1-2mm closer to the moment differential.
the anterior teeth.
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• Space closure with tipping of the buccal segments will
occur.
• the activation must be around 4mm and should be
activated every 2mm.
• The major side effects are loss of anchorage and
extrusion of the anteriors.
• Class III elastics or protraction headgear may help in
the protraction of the upper buccal segments.
• For mandibular molars class II elastics may help.
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• Anterior arm fits into an auxiliary vertical tube
on the canine bracket.
• Posterior anchorage unit in first premolar
extraction cases includes first and second
molars and second premolar.
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M/F ratios:
• Initially the M/F ratios : 5.6 which -controlled tipping.
• space closes -> spring deactivates-> decrease force ->
M/F ratio increase.
• M/F:10- translation ->Further deactivation :the M/F :12
and the teeth might undergo root movement.
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Spring pre-activation:
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Mechanical side effects during space closure
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Control of the Side Effects
• Side effects of space closure using continuous
arch T-loops and their possible solutions:
1. Side Effect: Tipping of the anterior and posterior
segments into the extraction site.
Correction: Increase the alpha and beta moments.
2. Side Effect: Flaring of the anterior teeth.
Correction: Reduce the alpha moment or increase
distal activation.
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3. Side Effect: Mesial-in rotation of the buccal
segments.
Correction: Mesial-out rotation in archwire,
palatal arch or lingual arch.
4. Side Effect: Excessive lingual tipping of
anterior teeth.
Correction: Increase the alpha moment.
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RICKETT’S CANINE RETRACTOR
• Ricketts in 1979
• .016“x .016” blue Elgiloy wire
• 70mm of the wire.
• double closed helix and an Extended crossed T
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• Advantages:
• Rapid space closure
• Only a few weeks of wearing
• Disadvantages:
• Bulky and irritating to soft tissues
• Difficult to use in the lower arch because it
extends into chewing area
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POUL GJESSING
CANINE RETRACTION SPRING
• Poul Gjessing (1985).
•double ovoid helix with a smaller
occlusally placed helix
• Available :preformed version
•0.016 x 0.022 inch stainless
steel wire
•Occlusal diameter- 2mm
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Spring design
• Active element : ovoid double helix loop extending
10mm apically and 5.5mm wide.
• Rounded form avoids the effect of sharp bends on
load/deflection
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• greatest amount of wire in the vertical direction-
>reduction of horizontal load/deflection ->increase
rigidity in the vertical plane.
• smaller loop occlusally is incorporated to lower levels of
activation on insertion in the brackets in the short arm
and is formed so that activation further closes the loops
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35º
Anti rotation bend
5.5 mm
Apical loop
30º
15º
Beta bend
Anti tip bend
12º
2 mm
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Occlusal loop
Clinical Application:
• Resist rotation and tipping tendencies.
• Faciolingual adjustment of double helix (A)
• Twisting of the posterior extension (B)
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• Bracket engagement
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• Activation
• The force of a retraction spring is applied by pulling the distal
end through the molar tube until the two loops saperate and
cinching it back.
• desirable force level :100 gm
• Rate of space closure – 1.2 mm in 4 weeks
• Reactivation :4-6 weeks.
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OPUS LOOP
• Raymond E Siatkowski 2001
• .017X.025 TMA
• to deliver an inherent M/F ratio sufficient for
en masse space closure via translation of teeth
with no bone loss.
• inherent M/F ratio is high enough so no pre-
activation bends is needed before insertion.
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Loop design
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• Constant M/F of 8.0 to 9.1 mm
• It achieves a M/F ratio of 8-9.1mm without
addition of activation bends in the loop or
archwire itself.
• Therefore its neutral position is the same as the
inactivated position before it was tied into the
brackets.
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• .017X.025 TMA is that it provides a relatively long
range of activation
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DISADVANTAGES
• steepen the cant of occlusal plane in the maxillary
arch and flatten it in the mandibular arch.
• Although steepening occlusal plane can be useful for
overtreatment of Class III relationships (and
flattening occlusal plane for Class II relationships),
that potential should be monitored for possible
intervention.
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MUSHROOM LOOP ARCHES (Uribe & Nanda,
2003)
• preformed mushroom-loop space-closing
archwire produces an ideal moment-to-force
ratio.
• The mushroom shape of the loop will not
interfere with the gingival tissue, and an
activated loop will not become distorted, thus
improving force delivery.
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• For .022" brackets, an .017" × .025" CNA
archwire comes preformed with the mushroom
loops at standardized distances of 26- 46mm in
increments of 2mm.
• This measurement represents the distance
between the distal surfaces of the lateral
incisors.
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Once the proper archwire has been selected, it is
preactivated outside the mouth
The archwire is then placed in the mouth and engaged
across the arch from first molar to first molar. Another
1mm of activation is added, for a total of 4mm.
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• The loop should not be reactivated until at least 3mm of
space has been closed, thus maintaining a more constant
moment-to-force ratio.
• After the spaces are completely closed, the wire should
be left in the mouth for one or two additional visits, so
that the residual moments can be used to correct the
axial root inclinations of the anterior and posterior teeth.
• This completely eliminates the need for root uprighting
and torquing springs and significantly shortens
treatment time.
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The Snail Loop
• Vibhute PJ, Srivastava S, Hazarey PV (2008)
• .017" × .025" stainless steel wire by bending a simple omega
loop into a spiral shape, which provides the forces and
moments.
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• The outer portion of the snail loop is 8mm
high and 6mm wide, and the inner
portion is 6mm high and 3mm wide
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• (B) Preactivation alpha and beta bends,
produces anterior and posterior moments
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• If an extrusive or intrusive force against the anterior and
posterior segments is not desired, the loop must be
centered between them
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Advantages:
• Potential for greater, more efficient vertical movement
of the anterior segment, due to the flexibility in the
vertical plane provided by the spiral design.
• Lower load-deflection rate from using a longer wire.
• More control of the moment to-force ratio, allowing
bodily movement, controlled tipping, or uncontrolled
tipping as desired.
• Reduced number of activations and patient visits.
• Easier fabrication and placement.
• Improved hygiene and patient comfort, with less
cheek impingement.
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KALRA SIMULTANEOUS INTRUSION AND RETRACTION
ARCH
VARUN KALRA 1998
Modification of segmented loop mechanics of Burstone and Nanda
WIRE MATERIAL- TMA
DIMENSION- .019 × .025 TMA
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APPLIANCE DESIGN
• Continuous arch wire with
closed 7mm x 2mm U loops
at the extraction sites
• 90 degree V bend is placed
at the level of each U loop.
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Neutral position – loop is 3.5 mm
wide rather than 2 mm
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• CONTROL OF REACTIVE FORCES
• Low force :
K-SIR exerts about 125g of intrusive force
and same amount of extrusive force
distributed between the two buccal segments
teeth to the anchorage unit. The reactive
extrusive force is countered by occlusal and
masticatory forces.
Including the second molar will increase the
anchorage
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Single Cuspid Retraction Vs En masse retraction
• Advantages
Separate canine retraction En masse retraction
• Anchorage demand is • Treatment duration is
lesser. markedly reduced.
• canine retraction can be • No unesthetic space in
used for alignment of anterior segment.
incisors. • Mid treatment
• Canine after retraction alignment is not
can be integrated into required.
anchor segment.
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• Disadvantages
Separate canine retraction
• More treatment duration. En-masse retraction
• Anchorage requirement is
• Unesthetic space appears high.
in anterior segment
• Controlling canine and
• Undesirable canine incisor inclination together
inclination can cause in bodily retraction is more
deepening of bite. difficult and requires
appliance rigidity.
• Mid treatment alignment
and leveling may be
required.
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ADVANTAGES OF FRICTIONLESS
MECHANICS
It allows the clinician to achieve predetermined
treatment goals; orthodontic treatment becomes doctor
determined rather then appliance determined.
The force systems at the active and reactive units are
relatively constant and defined; thus, their resulting
movement is predictable (active units are teeth being
moved and reactive units are anchorage teeth).
Variable wire stiffness may be employed in the same
arch to enhance the control of active and reactive units.
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4. Prefabricated calibrated springs are used to accurately
define the force systems.
5. It allows the choice of either posterior extrusion, true
anterior intrusion or a combination in the correction of
deep overbites.
6. The clinician predetermines anchorage units.
7. The number of wire changes is reduced and wire
forming is simplified during treatment.
8. Because of the long ranges of activation, variations in
activation by clinicians are accommodated without
deleterious effects to the force systems.
9. Frictional forces are eliminated.
10. Dental asymmetries are solvable without compromise
88
DISADVANTAGES OF FRICTIONLESS
MECHANICS
• In 1991, Julie Ann Staggers, Nicholas Germane reviewed
retraction mechanics. According to them, the disadvantages
posed by frictionless mechanics are as follows.
1. Certain loops are not fail safe.
2. A good understanding of mechanics is required when using
retraction loops or springs, because minor errors in mechanics
can result in major errors in tooth movement.
3. More wire bending skill and chair time required than with
sliding mechanics.
4. Retraction loops may be uncomfortable.
5. Retraction loops produce an undesirable mesial-out moment
when individual teeth are retracted, due to the force of the
spring placed facial to the center of resistance.
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Bibliography `
1. Nanda, R.: Biomechanics and Esthetic Strategies in
Clinical Orthodontics, Elsevier Saunders, St. Louis,
2005, pp.201-203.
2. Ravindra Nanda :Biomechanics in Clinical
Orthodontics. W.B.saunders;1997:156-187.
3. Burstone, C.J.: The segmented arch approach to
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5. Robert M Ricketts, Ruel W. Bench, Carl F. Gugino,
James J. Hilgers, Robert J. Schulhof. Bioprogressive
therapy. 1st Book. Rocky Mountain Orthodontics
90
6.Vibhute PJ, Srivastava S, Hazarey PV. The snail
loop for low-friction space closure: J Clin Orthod.
2008 Apr;42(4):233-4
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anterior teeth: JCO; 1998
8.Raymond E. Siatkowski. En Masse Space Closure
With Precise Anchorage Control: Seminars in
Orthodontics. March 2001, Vol.2No. 1
91
9.Braun S, Garcia JL. The Gable bend revisited.
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