Tough adhesion and antifouling poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel coating on the arch wire for antibacterial adhesion

The arch wire (AW) plays an important role in providing continuous force, aligning the teeth, and excellent dental arch stability for orthodontic treatment. However, the high friction performance of the AW surface can increase bacterial adhesion and colonization, leading to oral hygiene problems. Herein, a simple method is developed to modify the surface of the orthodontic wire with a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel coating, which can improve the lubricity and antibacterial adhesion of the AW and prevent the oral hygiene problems caused by itself. The PVA hydrogel coating can toughly adhere to the surface of the AW and remarkably reduce the friction performance of the AW, and then its friction coefficient in water can reach 0.005. Under the action of brushing and bending, the PVA hydrogel coating possesses superior ultralubrication and hardly affects the mechanical properties of the stainless-steel substrate. Moreover, the PVA hydrogel coating can significantly inhibit bacterial adhesion on the surface of the AW, thereby reducing bacterial colonization and maintaining oral hygiene while correcting the shape of the mouth and jaw. Therefore, the PVA hydrogel coating exhibits tough adhesion and good antibacterial adhesion while maintaining the mechanical properties of the AW, and it is a promising antifouling coating for improving the performance of the AW.