Enamel Evaluation after Debonding of Fixed Retention and Polishing Treatment with Three Different Methods

Abstract

Lack of standardization of the retention phase has led to many studies of stability of movements and characteristic of retainers, disregarding the enamel repercussions of fixed retention on this phase. This study aimed to analyze different methods of enamel polishing after detachment of orthodontic retainers. Forty-five healthy premolars were divided into three groups according to the polishing bur after debonding, and four specimens without intervention were used as control. A 0.038 × 0.015 inches gold chain was bonded between the premolars and then removed. The adhesive remnant was removed with three types of burs according to the study groups (Group 1: white stone at high speed; Group 2: high-speed handpiece with a 30-blade tungsten carbide bur; Group 3: low-speed handpiece and a 30-blade tungsten bur). After debonding and polishing, all samples were analyzed with a confocal microscopy on surface roughness parameters: Sa: Arithmetic mean of the height of the surface. Rq: Square mean of the height of the surface and Sz: Maximum surface height. Mechanical tests were carried out to determine the bonding stress of the retention adhered to the teeth using an electromechanical testing machine. The adhesion stress was 8.23 MPa (±0.87). The quality of the refinement of the enamel after debonding is essential in order to preserve its integrity. The use of the 30-blade tungsten carbide bur provides a smooth enamel surface after polishing.

In Vitro Study on the Influence of the Buccal Surface Convexity of the Tooth upon Enamel Loss after Bracket Removal

“…Our findings are also consistent with those of Iglesias et al, who reported improved enamel preservation after polishing with the tungsten carbide bur at a low speed [34].…”

“…Some authors have used profilometry to measure the depth of the grooves [17,27,28], while others have compared digital models using three-dimensional scanners to observe changes in the anatomy or measure the depth of cracks and grooves [30][31][32]. In turn, other studies have made use of atomic force microscopy (AFM) [22,33,34].…”

Structural and Color Alterations of Teeth following Orthodontic Debonding: A Systematic Review

“…The spontaneous repair of enamel microcracks is a common phenomenon in live teeth, safeguarding against crack propagation to the dentin and dental pulp, and this reparative process was also observed in extracted teeth, as mentioned in the studies [57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68].…”

“…For the purpose of maintaining long-term teeth alignment, the binding strength between the tooth and the composite pad, as well as the retention wire, was deemed optimal. Given that each approach examined increased the SR of the treated enamel, further research into remineralization processes is warranted [61].…”