Comparative analysis of radiation interaction properties of commonly used dental bracket alloys

In this study, we thoroughly examined the radiation interaction properties of four widely used dental bracket alloys: Unitek, Leone, Omniarch, and Legend. Through the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, we assessed the elemental compositions and surface morphologies of these brackets. Legend has the highest density and Unitek the lowest density. X-ray transmission measurements were conducted with a 10 mCi Am-241 test source to obtain spectra, from which we experimentally determined mass attenuation coefficients (MAC) within the energy range of 13.9–59.54 keV, comparing these values to theoretical predictions from EpiXS program. Additionally, we analyzed various photon interaction parameters, including the half-value layer (HVL) and effective atomic number (Z_eff), to evaluate the photon attenuation capabilities of the brackets. The study revealed notable differences in build-up factors, specifically in energy absorption (EABF) and exposure build-up factors (EBF) across various penetration depths. These findings offer significant insights into the effectiveness of these materials for radiation attenuating in dental applications, with Legend demonstrating superior attenuation properties and Unitek exhibiting higher build-up factors throughout the studied energy spectrum. This research underscores the critical role of material selection in enhancing dental radiation protection.