Porcelain surface roughness, color and gloss changes after orthodontic bonding

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Prosthetic Dentistry
• Orthodontic Technology

Background:

• Porcelain restorations are frequently used in prosthetic dentistry.
• Orthodontic treatment may necessitate bonding and debonding brackets directly on these restorations.
• Understanding the impact on porcelain surface integrity is crucial for long-term restoration success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate changes in surface roughness, color, and gloss of low-fusing and high-fusing porcelain after orthodontic debonding.
• To compare the effectiveness of two post-debond polishing protocols.

Main Methods:

• Porcelain specimens (low-fusing and high-fusing) were subjected to bonding and debonding simulations.
• Surface characteristics (roughness, color, gloss) were measured before and after debonding.
• Polishing was performed using either a carbide bur alone or a carbide bur followed by Sof-Lex discs.

Main Results:

• Orthodontic bonding and debonding significantly increased surface roughness.
• Significant alterations in gloss and color index were observed after resin grinding, irrespective of the polishing method.
• No significant differences in surface changes were found between low-fusing and high-fusing porcelain types.
• The two polishing protocols did not yield significantly different results in surface characteristic restoration.

Conclusions:

• Orthodontic bonding and debonding irreversibly alter the surface characteristics of both low-fusing and high-fusing porcelain.
• Current post-debond polishing techniques are insufficient to fully restore the porcelain surface to its pre-bonding state.