Background: Adhesive resin composite, which is used to bond orthodontic bracket to tooth surface is exposed to the influence of wear by tooth brushing and wear may influence loosening of the bracket.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro the effect of tooth brushing on the adhesion strength of orthodontic brackets bonded to surface treated porcelain.
Method: A total of 90 glazed porcelain fused to metal facets (PFM) were randomly assigned into 3 groups according to the surface treatment to be received. Group 1 was conditioned with hydrofluoric acid (HF), group 2 conditioned with grit-blasting (GB) and group 3 conditioned with tribochemical silica coating (RC). The groups were evaluated for surface roughness (Ra) before and after surface treatment. Next, 15 samples from each group were subjected to brushing and remaining 15 samples served as the baseline (n=15). Adhesion strength (shear bond strength)was recorded using a universal testing machine. Data collected were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison post hoc analysis.
Results: Tooth brushing decreased the bond strength in all groups. The highest adhesion strength (baseline and after brushing) was observed in group 3 (26.8 ± 1.77 MPa and 23.57 ± 1.02 MPa) and the lowest was found in group 1 (9.6 ± 1.5 MPa and 5.87 ± 0.77 MPa). Group 3 specimens exhibited the highest Ra (1.24 ± 0.08).
Conclusion: It was found that tooth brushing of the exposed adhesive resin composite at the bracket-bonding substrate interface lowers the bonding strength regardless of the surface treatment of the substrate.
Keywords: Toothbrushing; dental porcelain; orthodontic brackets.