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Published on: July 3, 2020
Eighteen-month bracket survival rate: conventional versus self-etch adhesive
Alessandra Reis1, José Elui dos Santos, Alessandro Dourado Loguercio
1Department of Dental Materials and Operative Dentistry, Joaçaba, Brazil. reis@ale@hotmail.com
European Journal of Orthodontics
|November 9, 2007
Summary
This study compared a self-etch adhesive (Transbond Plus SEP) with a conventional etch-and-rinse adhesive (Transbond XT) for orthodontic bracket bonding. Both adhesives demonstrated similar bracket survival rates over 18 months, indicating Transbond Plus SEP is a safe alternative.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics
- Dental Materials Science
Background:
- Orthodontic bracket bonding relies on adhesive systems to ensure treatment efficacy.
- Conventional etch-and-rinse adhesives require multiple steps, while self-etch adhesives offer a simplified approach.
- Evaluating the long-term clinical performance of self-etch adhesives is crucial for their adoption in routine orthodontic practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the 18-month clinical performance of Transbond Plus Self Etching Primer (SEP), a self-etch adhesive, against Transbond XT, a conventional etch-and-rinse adhesive.
- To assess bracket survival rates and failure modes associated with each adhesive system.
- To determine if modified application time for the self-etch system impacts bonding efficacy.
Main Methods:
- A prospective clinical study involving 30 patients (12-18 years) undergoing orthodontic treatment with 567 metallic brackets.
- Brackets were bonded using either Transbond Plus SEP or Transbond XT following manufacturer instructions, with a prolonged application time for SEP.
- Bracket survival rates were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests, with failure modes classified visually.
Main Results:
- The failure rates for Transbond Plus SEP and Transbond XT were 15.6% and 17.6%, respectively.
- No statistically significant difference in bracket survival rates was observed between the self-etch and conventional adhesives (P > 0.05).
- The majority of failures occurred cohesively and at the adhesive-enamel interface, with no difference in fracture debonding modes between groups.
Conclusions:
- Transbond Plus Self Etching Primer (SEP) exhibits comparable clinical performance and bracket survival rates to the conventional Transbond XT adhesive over an 18-month period.
- The self-etch adhesive system can be safely utilized for orthodontic bracket bonding, offering similar efficacy to traditional methods.
- Modified application time for Transbond Plus SEP did not negatively impact its bonding performance in this study.

