Primer-Treated Ceramic Bracket Increases Shear Bond Strength on Dental Zirconia Surface

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the shear bond strength (SBS) of a primer-treated ceramic bracket on dental zirconia and to compare it with conventional ceramic bracket bonding on surface-treated zirconia. Sintered and finished dental zirconia was sandblasted. Samples were divided according to the treated surfaces: no treatment (X), ceramic primer on zirconia (Z), ceramic primer on bracket base (B), and ceramic primer on both zirconia and bracket base (ZB). The ceramic bracket was bonded on zirconia and SBS was measured before (T₀) and after 10,000 cycles of thermocycling (T_f). The failed surfaces were examined under field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and adhesive remnant index (ARI) was evaluated. SBS was significantly higher in ZB and significantly lower in X in both T₀ and T_f. There was no significant difference between Z and B. In X and B, adhesive failure occurred while ZB showed mixed failures. There was no apparent change in the zirconia surface except for the existence of some adhesive and resin remnants. The application of ceramic primer on the bracket base increased the bonding strength to the level of conventional bonding with fewer adhesive remnants. The highest bonding strength was obtained when the primer-treated bracket was bonded on the primer-treated zirconia.