Bond strengths of orthodontic bracket after acid-etched, Er:YAG laser-irradiated and combined treatment on enamel surface.
Laser ablation has been proposed as an alternative method to acid etching: however, previous studies have obtained contrasting results. The purpose of this study was to compare the bond strengths after acid etching, laser ablation, acid etching followed by laser ablation, and laser ablation followed by acid etching. Forty specimens were randomly assigned to one of the four groups. Two more specimens in each group did not undergo bond test and were prepared for observation with scanning electron microscope (SEM) after the four kinds of surface treatment. After the bond test, all specimens were inspected under the digital stereomicroscope and SEM to record the bond failure mode. Student's t-test results showed that the mean bond strength (13.0 +/- 2.4 N) of the laser group was not significantly different from that of the acid-etched group (11.8 +/- 1.8 N) (P > .05). However, this strength was significantly higher than that of the acid-etched then laser-ablated group (10.4 +/- 1.4 N) or that of the laser-ablated then acid-etched group (9.1 +/- 1.8 N). The failure modes occurred predominantly at the bracket-resin interface. Er:YAG laser ablation consumed less time compared with the acid-etching technique. Therefore, Er:YAG laser ablation can be an alternative tool to conventional acid etching.
Graduate Institute of Clinical Dentistry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan ROC.
Bor-Shiunn
BS
Lee
Tseng-Ting
TT
Hsieh
Yuan-Ling
YL
Lee
Wan-Hong
WH
Lan
Yao-Jeng
YJ
Hsu
Ping-Han
PH
Wen
Chun-Pin
CP
Lin
D000134:Acid Etching, Dental; D000268:Adhesiveness; D000269:Adhesives / Q000737:chemistry; D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D001840:Dental Bonding; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D045662:Dental Etching; D004871:Erbium; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016910:Orthodontic Brackets; D019279:Resin Cements / Q000737:chemistry; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties; D015019:Yttrium
D000269:Adhesives; D000538:Aluminum Silicates; C418867:Enlight; D019279:Resin Cements; D015019:Yttrium; D004871:Erbium