Enamel surface roughness following debonding resin clean up using high speed air-turbine and electric handpieces. In...

High speed electric handpieces have recently been growing in popularity among dental professionals. Advantages include smoother surface preparation and increased cutting efficiency.

The primary objective was to compare enamel surface roughness following resin cleanup after bracket debonding using highspeed air turbine versus electric handpiece. The secondary objective was to record the time needed for resin-clean up.

Forty deidentified freshly extracted human premolars were cleaned and sectioned at the cement-enamel junction. The crowns were embedded in acrylic blocks. Enamel surface roughness parameters (Ra, Rz, Rp and Rv) were measured using a stylus profilometer. Brackets were bonded using a light-cure orthodontic adhesive and stored in distilled water for 24 h. Following bracket debonding, the specimens were randomly divided into 2 groups: First group: resin clean-up was carried out using a 12-fluted carbide bur mounted on a high-speed air turbine; and second group: where an electric handpiece was used. Surface roughness parameters were measured following resin clean up and after polishing using pumice and a rubber cup. Time needed for resin clean-up was recorded. Differences in enamel surface roughness and time between groups were compared using repeated measures ANOVA and independent samples t-test, respectively at P ≤ 0.05.

The electric handpiece groups showed significantly higher values for Ra, Rz and Rp both following resin cleanup and polishing. Time taken for resin cleanup was significantly longer for the electric handpiece group.

Considering both surface roughness and time, electric handpiece do not seem to add greater effectiveness or efficiency to resin cleanup following orthodontic bracket debonding.