The NiTi Wire Programmer is an innovative desktop CNC system specifically designed for the automated fabrication of orthodontic lingual retention retainers using Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) wires.
NiTi wires offer unique advantages compared with conventional stainless steel retention wires, including excellent flexibility, high fatigue resistance, long-term durability, and biocompatibility, making them suitable for prolonged intraoral use. However, their superelastic properties make them challenging to shape accurately using conventional manual bending techniques.
The NiTi Wire Programmer addresses this challenge through a dedicated automated forming process that combines precision mechanical positioning with controlled thermal programming. The system uses localized heating of the NiTi wire during the bending process to modify and stabilize the programmed shape, enabling accurate and repeatable fabrication of customized lingual retainers.
The technology aims to simplify the production of durable, patient-specific orthodontic retention devices and provide dental laboratories and orthodontic manufacturers with a specialized solution for working with NiTi materials.
The prototype is currently under development, and partnerships are sought for industrialization, manufacturing, regulatory development, and commercialization.
