In vivo bonding of orthodontic brackets to fluorosed enamel using an adhesion promotor

To determine the success of bracket retention using an adhesion promoter with and without the additional microabrasion of enamel.

Fifty-two teeth with severe dental fluorosis were bonded in vivo using a split-mouth design where the enamel surfaces of 26 teeth were microabraded with 50 microm of aluminum silicate for 5 seconds under rubber dam and high volume suction. Thirty-seven percent phosphoric acid was then applied to the enamel, washed and dried, and followed by placement of Scotchbond Multipurpose Plus Bonding Adhesive. Finally, precoated 3M Unitek Victory brackets were placed and light cured. The remaining teeth were bonded using the same protocol but without microabrasion.

After 9 months of intraoral service, only one bond failure occurred in the control group where microabrasion was used. Chi-square analysis revealed P = .31, indicating no statistical significance between the two groups.

Bonding orthodontic attachments to fluorosed enamel using an adhesion promoter is a viable clinical procedure that does not require the additional micro-mechanical abrasion step.