[The various families of composite adhesives: presentation and experimentation]

Today, manufacturers provide the orthodontist with a range of adhesive systems which is so wide that is often difficult for the orthodontist to make his choice between them. The adhesive systems fall into four categories: traditional hydrophobic bonding systems, hydrophilic bonding systems, self-etching bonding systems, resin-modified glass ionomer-cements. This article will attempt to examine the first three categories which correspond to those of the composite bonding systems. Following a presentation of bonding assembling and of the required specification of the bonding systems used in orthodontic practice, the three composite bonding systems will be examined along with their advantages/disadvantages before a closing description of the corresponding clinical protocol to be followed. Whenever one of our laboratory experiments enables us to provide experimental evidence, a presentation is made within the related chapters.