The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sterilization cycles on the flexural strength (FS) of titanium mini-screws used in orthodontics.
The study was conducted between 2024 and 2025 at the Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, using 1.8 × 8 mm titanium mini-screws.
A total of 30 specimens were used and divided into three equal groups: Group 1 received one sterilization cycle; Group 2 received 10 sterilization cycles; and Group 3 received 25 sterilization cycles.
The FS values of sterilized miniscrews did not differ statistically significantly according to the number of sterilization cycles (p > 0.05).
The study found that the FS of titanium miniscrews, which have a wide range of applications in orthodontic practice, was not affected by repeated sterilization cycles of up to 25 cycles.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sterilization cycles on the flexural strength (FS) of titanium mini-screws used in orthodontics. The study was conducted between 2024 and 2025 at the Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, using 1.8 × 8 mm titanium mini-screws. A total of 30 specimens were used and divided into three equal groups: Group 1 received one sterilization cycle; Group 2 received 10 sterilization cycles; and Group 3 received 25 sterilization cycles. The screws were then embedded in acrylic blocks and tested. FS measurements were performed using a universal testing machine. Mini-screws fixed in acrylic blocks were placed parallel to the ground, and a force perpendicular to the length was applied to induce deformation. The significance of the results was assessed at p < 0.05. The mean FS values were 278.00 ± 61.62 N in Group 1, 243.80 ± 51.26 N in Group 2, and 286.60 ± 41.91 N in Group 3. The FS values of sterilized miniscrews did not differ statistically significantly according to the number of sterilization cycles (p > 0.05). The study found that the FS of titanium miniscrews, which have a wide range of applications in orthodontic practice, was not affected by repeated sterilization cycles of up to 25 cycles.
