| Study | Reason for exclusion |
|---|---|
| Abdelrahman 2015b | Not an RCT |
| AlQabandi 1999 | Not a comparison of initial arch wires |
| Bernhold 2001 | Published as abstract and identified as ongoing study in the first version of the review. Attempt to contact study author in 2012 unsuccessful and no subsequent publications found. Insufficient information in abstract to include this study |
| Bloom 1998 | Published as abstract only and no subsequent full publication identified. Insufficient information to include in review |
| Campos 2013 | Not a comparison of initial arch wires |
| Chekay 1999 | Published as abstract only and no subsequent full publication identified. Insufficient information to include in review |
| Dalstra 2004 | Not an RCT. All participants received the same arch wire |
| Farzanegan 2012 | Not a comparison of initial arch wires |
| Fleming 2009a | Not a comparison of initial arch wires |
| Fleming 2009b | Not a comparison of initial arch wires |
| Huffman 1983 | Not an RCT |
| Jones 1984 | Case series |
| Jones 1990 | Not an RCT |
| Kuftinec 1980 | Not an RCT |
| Lew 1988 | Not an RCT |
| Mandall 2006 | Comparison of arch wire sequences and not individual arch wires |
| Marković 2015 | Not an RCT |
| Ong 2011 | Study evaluates initial arch wire sequence |
| Pandis 2007 | Not a comparison of initial arch wires |
| Sandhu 2012 | Not an RCT |
| Weiland 2003 | A CCT split‐mouth study |
CCT = controlled clinical trial RCT = randomised controlled trial