Accidental debondings: Buccal vs fully individualized lingual multibracket appliances.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to retrospectively assess the frequency and localizations of bond failures (BFs) in patients treated with either lingual (TOP-Service für Lingualtechnik GmbH, a 3M Company, Bad Essen, Germany) or buccal (Mini Diamond brackets/Accent molar tubes; Ormco, Orange, Calif) full multibracket appliances in both dental arches.


METHODS
Data were acquired by an independent investigator from the patient records of 3 practitioners. To establish a standardized observation period, the first year of treatment was analyzed for each patient. Statistical analysis comprised the Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney U, and Fisher exact tests. The significance level was set at P <0.05.


RESULTS
The mean number of BFs per patient in the first year of treatment did not differ significantly between the lingual group (n = 59; mean age, 31.1 years; mean BFs per patient, 2.63; SD, 2.77; minimum, 0; maximum, 13) and the buccal group (n = 44; mean age, 15.14 years; mean BFs per patient, 2.61; SD, 3.41; minimum, 0; maximum, 14) (P = 0.428) or with respect to sex (lingual group, P = 0.251; buccal group, P = 0.414) or practitioner (lingual group, P = 0.755; buccal group, P = 0.060), but molar attachments were more prone to BFs than were premolar brackets (lingual group, P = 0.015; buccal group, P = 0.049), and premolar brackets were more prone to BF than anterior brackets (lingual group, P = 0.005; buccal group, P = 0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
With both appliances, a mean of 2.62 BFs per patient in the first year of treatment can be expected; this benchmark provides a reference for patient briefing, which is very important considering the large interindividual variances and budgeting considerations.
Faculty member, Department of Orthodontics, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Thomas
T
Ziebura
University professor and chair, Department of Orthodontics, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany. Electronic address: hohoffa@uni-munster.de.
Ariane
A
Hohoff
Faculty member, Department of Orthodontics, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Stefanie
S
Flieger
Senior faculty member and assistant medical director, Department of Orthodontics, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Thomas
T
Stamm
D000134:Acid Etching, Dental / Q000379:methods; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D001840:Dental Bonding / Q000379:methods; D017005:Dental Debonding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004868:Equipment Failure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016910:Orthodontic Brackets / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014087:Tooth Movement Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D055815:Young Adult