Translational movement along an arch wire requires sufficient force to overcome frictional forces between bracket and arch wire. The orthodontist must appreciate the importance of friction in this process, and study out the influencing factors on the level of friction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of artificial saliva on frictional resistances generated between the bracket and arch wire. Independent variables of this study were arch wire material, angulation and environment. Static frictional forces of cobalt-chromium, heat-treated cobalt-chromium, beta-titanium, stainless steel wires were measured under non-angulated dry, angulated dry, non-angulated saliva, angulated saliva conditions. The results were as follows : 1. Stainless steel wires showed lower friction values in non-angulated dry condition, and heat-treated cobalt-chromium wires showed higher friction values in angulated dry condition. Higher friction values were showed in order of cobalt-chromium, stainless steel, heat-treated cobalt-chromium and beta-titanium wires in non-angulated saliva condition, and were showed in order of stainless steel, cobalt-chromium, heat-treated cobalt-chromium, beta-titanium wires in angulated saliva condition. 2. Angulation increased friction for stainless steel wires under dry condition. 3. Artificial saliva decreased friction for cobalt-chromium wires and increased friction for stainless steel wires under non-angulated condition. 4. Artificial saliva decreased friction for all wires except beta-titanium wires under angulated condition. 5. Regardless of angulation or environment, heat-treated cobalt-chromium and beta-titanium wires showed higher friction values, and stainless steel wires showed lower friction values.