The Efficiency of Fluoride Bioactive Glasses in Protecting Enamel Surrounding Orthodontic Bracket

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of using four different fluoride bioactive enamel sealers against an acidic erosion challenge.

A sample of 50 freshly extracted sound upper premolars had their buccal surface bonded to 50 orthodontic brackets using Transbond PLUS color change adhesive; the first four groups had four compositions of fluoride bioactive glasses based on 37 mol% SiO₂, 43.9-53.9 mol% CaO, 6.1 mol% P₂O₅ and CaF₂, and 0-10 mol% of Na₂O applied to their surfaces and the fifth group served as control (which was not treated by any bioactive sealer). All specimens were challenged by 1% citric acid for 18 minutes which was stirred by a magnetic stirrer. The enamel surfaces next to the orthodontic brackets were examined by SEM. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the area covered by the fluoride bioactive pastes before/after erosion (p < 0.05). Samples from the layer formed on top of the examined teeth were tested before/after erosion to be examined by the attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR/ATR).

The FTIR/ATR test showed that fluoride bioactive pastes' applications resulted in the formation of a hydroxyapatite-rich layer; the SEM analysis showed that the aforementioned layer significantly resisted erosion challenge when compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

Fluoride bioactive pastes can efficiently protect the enamel surfaces next to orthodontic brackets from acidic erosion challenges.