Background: The enamel condition and the quality of surface are points that need to be considered for achieving optimal efficiency in the treatment with orthodontic brackets. The aim of this study was to assess the immediate bond strength of metallic brackets cemented to dental.
Material and methods: Forty human premolars were double-sectioned, placed in PVC matrices and randomly divided into 10 groups (n=8). They received artificial saliva contamination before or after the application of adhesive systems, except for the control groups. The metallic brackets were cemented using two orthodontic cements (Transbond™ Plus Color Change, 3M Unitek e Transbond™ XT Light, 3M Unitek). The specimens were subjected to mechanical shear bond strength testing and classified according to the fracture pattern. The results were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA and Tukey's test for multiple comparisons (p<0.05).
Results: ANOVA analysis showed statistically significant differences between the groups (p=0.01). The Tukey's multiple comparison test indicated statistically significant difference between G6 and G7 groups (p<0.05). A high prevalence of adhesive failure in the groups receiving the hydrophobic adhesive system.
Conclusions: The saliva contamination prior to the application of a hydrophobic simplified conventional adhesive system was responsible for decreasing the immediate bond strength values of brackets cemented on the dental enamel. Key words:Bonding, orthodontic brackets, shear bond strength, saliva, adhesive systems.