Relevant aspects in the clinical applications of NiTi shape memory alloys

NiTi shape memory alloys showing pseudoelastic behaviour have great potential in dental and orthopaedic applications where constant correcting loads may be required. In most of the clinical applications the device may have been heat treated and during its life in service it will be cyclically deformed. It is therefore important to investigate the effect of cyclic straining and heat treatments upon the transformation stresses and temperatures of the material. The aim of this work is to study the thermal and mechanical ageing of a pseudoelastic NiTi shape memory alloy, as well as the environmental in vitro degradation of the alloy due to the effect of artificial saliva.