This study assessed the effect of water and saliva contamination on the shear bond strength and bond failure site of 3 different orthodontic primers (Transbond XT, Transbond Moisture Insensitive Primer, and Transbond Plus Self Etching Primer; 3M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif) used with a light-cured composite resin (Transbond XT). Bovine permanent mandibular incisors (315) were randomly divided into 21 groups (15 in each group). Each primer-adhesive combination was tested under 7 different enamel surface conditions: (1) dry, (2) water application before priming, (3) water application after priming, (4) water application before and after priming, (5) saliva application before priming, (6) saliva application after priming, and (7) saliva application before and after priming. Stainless steel brackets were bonded in each test group with composite resin. After bonding, all samples were stored in distilled water at room temperature for 24 hours and then tested for shear bond strength. Noncontaminated enamel surfaces had the highest bond strengths for conventional, hydrophilic, and self-etching primers, which produced the same strength values. In most contaminated conditions, the self-etching primer had higher strength values than either the hydrophilic or conventional primers. The self-etching primer was the least influenced by water and saliva contamination, except when moistening occurred after the recommended 3-second air burst. No significant differences in debond locations were found among the groups bonded with the self-etching primer under the various enamel conditions.