FLUORIDE LEVEL IN SALIVA AFTER BONDING ORTHODONTIC BRACKETS WITH A FLUORIDE CONTAINING ADHESIVE

The fluoride level in saliva is considered an important parameter in c aries prevention. Elevation of the salivary fluoride level by a fluori de-releasing orthodontic bonding adhesive would most likely be benefic ial in the prevention of enamel caries. In this study, the fluoride le vel in saliva was measured after bonding brackets with a visible light -curing adhesive containing fluoride (12.4 wt% total F). The fluoride released from the adhesive has been shown in a previous study to inhib it demineralization adjacent to orthodontic brackets in vivo. Twenty-f our patients each had 20 brackets bonded and saliva samples taken befo re bonding (t = 0) and after 1, 3, and 6 months, The participants were requested to brush daily with a fluoride toothpaste during the study period. The saliva fluoride analysis was done with the microdiffusion method, The analysis of the saliva showed fluoride levels (+/- SD) of 0.011 +/- 0.007, 0.011 +/- 0.009, 0.0011 +/- 0.007, and 0.012 +/- 0.00 8 ppm at t = 0, 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively, There was no signifi cant difference at the 5% level, The study indicated indirectly that t he caries inhibiting effect of the orthodontic adhesive shown previous ly was most likely due to a localized fluoridation of the cariogenic e nvironment rather than to an elevation of the fluoride level in saliva .