Clinical performance of precoated brackets and self-etch bonding technique: a prospective comparative study

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Dental Materials Science
• Clinical Dentistry

Background:

• Bracket bonding efficiency is crucial for orthodontic treatment duration and success.
• Conventional two-step etch and primer methods (CEM) require meticulous application.
• Self-etching primer (SEP) systems offer potential simplification in bracket bonding protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical performance of uncoated versus adhesive precoated brackets.
• To evaluate the efficacy of self-etching primer (SEP) versus conventional etch and primer (CEM) methods.
• To assess bonding time, bracket failure rates, and adhesive remnant index (ARI) scores.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 63 patients (mean age 15.2 years) was divided into four groups based on bracket type (uncoated/precoated) and bonding agent (CEM/SEP).
• Data collected included bonding time, bracket failure rate, and ARI scores.
• Statistical analysis employed one-way ANOVA for bonding time and chi-square tests for failure rates and ARI.

Main Results:

• Bonding time was significantly reduced with precoated brackets and SEP application (Groups III and IV) compared to uncoated brackets (Groups I and II).
• No significant differences were found in bracket failure rates across all groups.
• Significant differences in ARI scores were observed, with higher scores noted in the precoated bracket and SEP group (Group IV).

Conclusions:

• Adhesive precoated brackets combined with SEP significantly decrease chair time during orthodontic bracket bonding.
• This combination is clinically safe and does not compromise the bracket failure rate.
• The precoated bracket and SEP method may offer a favorable mode of failure, potentially reducing enamel damage.