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Self-etching primers: is prophylactic pumicing necessary? A randomized clinical trial
Antonia M Burgess1, Martin Sherriff, Anthony J Ireland
1Bristol Dental Hospital, Child Dental Health, Bristol, UK.
The Angle Orthodontist
|February 2, 2006
Summary
Pumice prophylaxis is recommended before using self-etching primers (SEPs) in orthodontics. This study found pumicing significantly reduced bracket bond failures, despite high failure rates overall with the tested SEP.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics
- Dental Materials Science
Background:
- Self-etching primers (SEPs) offer an alternative to traditional bonding methods in orthodontics.
- The necessity of pumice prophylaxis prior to SEP application remains debated.
- High bond failure rates can compromise orthodontic treatment efficacy and duration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the necessity of pumice prophylaxis before applying a novel self-etching primer (SEP).
- To compare bracket bond failure rates and Adhesive Remnant Index (ARI) scores between pumiced and non-pumiced enamel surfaces.
Main Methods:
- A randomized cross-mouth controlled trial involving 30 patients with fixed orthodontic appliances.
- Enamel surfaces were randomly assigned to either pumicing or no pumicing before SEP and bracket bonding with Transbond XT.
- Bond failures and ARI scores were assessed at 6 and 12 months.
Main Results:
- Bond failure rates were 55.5% in the no-pumice group and 33.2% in the pumice group.
- Pumicing demonstrated a clinically and statistically significant reduction in bond failures.
- All ARI scores were 0, indicating complete adhesive removal from enamel upon failure.
Conclusions:
- Pumice prophylaxis is recommended prior to self-etching primer application to improve bond durability.
- The specific self-etching primer evaluated in this study exhibited unacceptably high failure rates and is not recommended for clinical use.
