Breakage incidence with direct-bonded lingual retainers

This study examined the effects of a number of patient and clinical variables on the breakage of bonded retainers, and consisted of a retrospective review of the survival of 200 bonded retainers. Data was collected from two clinical centres between November 1996 and February 1997. The subjects comprised 198 patients of both sexes divided into three age groups. Retainers at both centres were made in 018-inch co-axial wire with Relyabond and Helioprogress adhesives used at each respective centre. The effects on time to first breakage of adhesive, patient sex, and arch (upper/lower) were considered using Kaplan Meier survival graphs and in Log Rank Tests. Finally, a Cox Proportional Hazard Model was used to examine the joint effects of these factors and the patients' ages. Breakage over a 5-year period with Relyabond was 38.8 per cent upper, 22.1 per cent lower, and with Helioprogress 75 per cent upper and 23.2 per cent lower. Breakage appears to be unrelated to the materials used or to the age and sex of the patients. Upper retainers break more often than lowers (P = 0.016) and early breakage is more likely to occur at an adhesive pad than at a wire (9.6 versus 2.5 per cent within 6 months).