Auxiliary springs in continuous arch treatment: Part 1. An analytical study employing the finite-element method

This report describes the results of a finite-element analysis with ANSYS (Version 4.3) from Swanson Analysis Systems and 1 mm-long, 2-D elastic beam elements to modify and refine the designs of maxillary and mandibular springs for space-closure management. This system permitted static analysis by means of modern software systems instead of expensive and cumbersome mechanical bench studies. Our examination of anterior and posterior reactions led to what we believe are optimal designs with clinically manageable moment/force ratios and new canine brackets that accommodate these springs within the framework of conventional and straight-wire appliance systems. Three degrees of freedom were used at each node for translations in the x and y directions and a rotation about the z axis, producing 182 elements with 183 nodes for the mandibular model and 146 elements with 147 nodes for the maxillary model. Elgiloy retraction spring models (0.1650 inch x 0.02150 inch) in the edgewise mode were developed so that the effects of three different preactivation bends could be refined by computer analysis. Sixty-four analyses were performed for each spring, with each of three angle bends (theta 1, theta 2, and theta 3) varied from 0 degrees to 45 degrees in 15 degrees increments. The employment of this computer method promises to simplify the design and development of complex interacting orthodontic systems. Clinical cases are presented in Part 2 of this series, which illustrates the application of auxiliary springs.