Enamel etching with an erbium, chromium: yttriumscandium- gallium-garnet laser system versus coventional acid etching technique in bonding metallic brackets

Samih, Hanady; Aboul Azm, Khaled; Abd El-Motie, Maha

doi:10.21608/eos.2014.78900

Enamel etching with an erbium, chromium: yttriumscandium- gallium-garnet laser system versus coventional acid etching technique in bonding metallic brackets

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Orthodontics Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

² Orthodontics Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Pharos University, Alexandria, Egypt

³ Dental Biomaterials Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Egypt

10.21608/eos.2014.78900

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets bonded to enamel etched with Er,Cr:YSGG laser at three different power outputs versus conventional acid etch. Materials and methods: Eighty-eight human premolars extracted for orthodontic purpose were used and were randomly divided into four equal groups according to enamel conditioning method. Enamel was etched with Er,Cr:YSGG laser system operated at one of three power outputs (1.5W, 2.0W and 2.5W) and with 37% orthophosphoric acid. Metal brackets were bonded to the etched enamel of eighty teeth using Transbond Plus adhesive material. The etched enamel surfaces of two teeth from each group were examined under scanning electron microscope (SEM). The shear bond strength was measured for all the groups using universal testing machine. The amount of remaining adhesive material on the teeth surface was determined using adhesive remnant index (ARI) scored from 0 to 3. Results: The means and standard deviations of shear bond strength for acid-etch group, 1.5W laser group, 2W laser group and 2.5W laser group were 9.60 ± 0.71, 7.22 ± 0.78, 11.68 ± 0.83 and 12.43 ± 0.71, respectively. The findings were confirmed by the scanning electron microscope. The evaluation of adhesive remnant index scores showed significant difference in bond failure site between all laser etched groups and acid etched group. There was more adhesive left on the enamel surface etched with acid than with laser. Conclusion: The mean shear bond strength and enamel etching with Er,Cr:YSGG laser at 2W power output for 20 seconds is clinically acceptable and comparable with conventional acid-etch. It can be considered as an alternative to acid-etch technique.