Effect of fluoride varnish on the in vitro bond strength of orthodontic brackets using a self-etching primer system

To reduce the number of steps involved with bonding procedures, manufacturers have simplified adhesive systems by combining the hydrophilic primer and the adhesive, or by combining the etchant, the primer, and the adhesive into 1 bottle and application. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets to enamel, with or without fluoride varnish, by using either conventional or self-etching primer systems. Forty-eight extracted teeth were divided into 4 groups of 12 teeth each: group 1, fluoride varnish, conventional adhesive; group 2, fluoride varnish, self-etching primer system; group 3, no fluoride varnish, conventional adhesive; and group 4, no fluoride varnish, self-etching primer system. The bonding procedure followed the manufacturers' recommendations for the materials. Precoated adhesive orthodontic brackets were light-cured to the facial surfaces of the teeth and stored in whole human saliva at 37 degrees C for 24 hours. The specimens were subjected to a shear force in a testing machine until failure. The adhesive remnant index was used to score the teeth. Data were analyzed with a 2-way analysis of variance to test for differences in shear bond strength with respect to fluoride varnish and type of adhesive system used. The results showed no difference in bond strength among any of the experimental groups. Similarly, chi-square analysis determined that adhesive remnant index scores were not statistically different. The application of fluoride varnish does not affect the bond strength of orthodontic brackets to enamel with conventional or self-etching primer systems.