Metallic bracket to enamel bonding with a photopolymerizable resin-reinforced glass ionomer

Enamel acid etching plays an important role in treatment on direct bracket bonding, Several studies have been carried out concerning the damage this p rocedure causes to the enamel. A valuable alternative seems to be the use o f photopolymerizable resin-reinforced glass ionomer without acid etching of enamel. This study compares the strength of bracket debonding, the amount of remnant adhesive on the tooth, and the enamel condition in 3 adhesive sy stems. Three groups were set; in the first group, a glass ionomer with a ph otopolymerizable resin reinforce and enamel etching with orthophosphoric ac id at 37% was used; in the second group, the same ionomer was used but with out acid etching; and in the third group, a photopolymerizable resin was us ed after etching enamel with orthophosphoric acid at 37%, Debonding strengt h was determined in MPa; a stereoscopic microscope was used to determine th e amount of remnant adhesive on the tooth in accordance to ARI and a scanni ng electron microscope study was made to observe the enamel conditions, exi sting in debonding among groups (P < .0001), with etching and without etchi ng. The remnant adhesive on the tooth did not show a significant difference (P = 1.000); greater irregularities were found in the enamel in the etchin g groups, It was demonstrated that the etching was a critical factor in obt aining adequate adhesion strength and that it alters the enamel conditions. Teeth with ionomer and etching had a greater material remnant.