Fluoride release/uptake from different orthodontic adhesives: a 30-month longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Dental adhesives play a crucial role in restorative dentistry.
• Understanding fluoride release from dental materials is vital for caries prevention.
• Resin-modified glass ionomer cements (RMGICs) and composites are widely used restorative materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the long-term fluoride release of different RMGICs and composite materials.
• To test the null hypothesis of no difference in fluoride release between RMGICs and composites over time.
• To assess the fluoride ion uptake and re-release capabilities of these dental adhesives.

Main Methods:

• Five groups of dental materials were tested: Transbond XT (non-fluoride composite), Quick-Cure (fluoride composite), and three RMGICs (Fuji Ortho LC, Fuji Ortho Band, Multi-Cure).
• Fluoride release was measured at multiple time points from 1 hour up to 30 months using selective ion electrodes.
• Statistical analysis included Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests with Bonferroni correction.

Main Results:

• Fuji Ortho Band (RMGIC) showed significantly higher fluoride release compared to other adhesives (p=0.01).
• Fuji Ortho LC and Multi-Cure (RMGICs) exhibited similar long-term performance (p>0.05).
• Quick-Cure (composite) demonstrated significant fluoride ion uptake and re-release capacity (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

• The null hypothesis was rejected, indicating significant differences in fluoride release between the tested materials.
• Fuji Ortho Band RMGIC and Quick-Cure composite exhibit superior fluoride release and recharge potential.
• These findings highlight the importance of material selection for enhanced caries prevention through fluoride release.