Does microetching enamel reduce bracket failure when indirect bonding mandibular posterior teeth?
Published Online: Dec 13, 2023
Page range: 1 - 4
Received: Feb 01, 2008
Accepted: Mar 01, 2008
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoj-2008-0001
© 2008 Peter G. Miles, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Aim
To determine if microetching the mandibular premolars and first molars prior to acid-etching reduced bracket failures during the first six months of orthodontic treatment.
Methods
Sixty four patients with 384 mandibular first molar and premolar brackets were used in a split-mouth study design. In each patient the teeth on one side were acid-etched and the contralateral teeth were microetched prior to acid-etching. The microetched side was alternated in successive patients. The brackets were indirect bonded to the teeth on both sides. First time bracket failures were recorded over a 6-month period.
Results
Two brackets (1 per cent) came loose on the microetched enamel side and four brackets (2.1 per cent) failed on the conventionally acid-etched side. This difference was not clinically or statistically significant (
Conclusion
The addition of microetching prior to acid-etching does not result in fewer bracket failures during the first six months of treatment.