Abstract
ABSTRACTIntroduction: Debris buildup on brackets and arch surfaces is one of the main factors that can influence the intensity of friction between bracket and orthodontic wire. Objective: This study sought to evaluate the effect of air-powder polishing cleaning on debris levels of self-ligating ceramic brackets at the end of orthodontic treatment, compared to the behavior of conventional brackets. Methods: Debris levels were evaluated in metal conventional orthodontic brackets (n = 42) and ceramic self-ligating brackets (n = 42) on canines and premolars, arranged in pairs. There were brackets with and without air-powder polishing. At the end of orthodontic treatment, a hemiarch served as control and the contralateral hemiarch underwent prophylaxis with air-powder polishing. Debris buildup in bracket slots was assessed through images, and Wilcoxon test was used to analyze the results. Results: The median debris levels were statistically lower in the conventional metal brackets compared to self-ligating ones (p = 0.02), regarding brackets not submitted to air-powder polishing. Polishing significantly reduced debris buildup to zero in both systems, without differences between groups. Conclusions: Ceramic self-ligating brackets have a higher debris buildup in comparison to conventional metal brackets in vivo, but prophylaxis with sodium bicarbonate jet was effective in reducing debris levels in self-ligating and also in conventional brackets.
Highlights
Debris buildup on brackets and arch surfaces is one of the main factors that can influence the intensity of friction between bracket and orthodontic wire
The median debris level was significantly lower for conventional brackets when compared to self-ligating brackets
The results of this study reveal that debris buildup, observed at the end of orthodontic treatment, was higher for self-ligating brackets compared to conventional ones, corroborating previous reports of greater debris buildup in self-ligating brackets after clinical use.[22,24,25]
Summary
Debris buildup on brackets and arch surfaces is one of the main factors that can influence the intensity of friction between bracket and orthodontic wire. Bonding a fixed orthodontic appliance increases biofilm retention and hinders teeth cleaning practices.[5,6,7] As a complement to patient’s oral health, some prophylactic techniques are used by professionals during treatment maintainence,[8] with air-powder polishing being noteworthy.[9] Its effectiveness in removing dental plaques and stains has been widely reported[10,11] and it has been increasingly used. This technique requires less physical effort, short clinical period for execution, and does not generate heat compared with rubber cup or Robson brush and prophylactic paste,[8,10] in addition to producing less risk of damage to the fixed orthodontic appliance.[8]
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