Evaluation of the effects of different mouthwashes, acidic soft drinks, and herbal teas on shear bond strength of orthodontic stainless steel brackets: A stereomicroscopic study

Abstract

Background: Premature debonding of brackets often turns out into orthodontic treatment failures and actual treatment delays. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of different mouthwashes, acidic soft drinks, and herbal teas on the shear bond strength of metal (stainless steel) brackets used in orthodontic practice. Materials and methods: For the present study, 100 therapeutically extracted healthy premolar teeth with sound enamel surface were collected from patients who were scheduled for orthodontic treatment. The select teeth were cleansed, whereas the dried enamel surface was etched with 38% phosphoric acid for 15 s following which orthodontic stainless steel brackets (MBT 0.022 SLOT) were bonded with the help of composite resin (3M Unitek Transbond XT Light Cure Adhesive). The prepared teeth were divided into four groups depending on exposure to different mouthwashes, acidic soft drinks, and herbal teas. The shear bond strength values of the specimen were measured using a universal testing machine, whereas debonded surfaces were observed under a stereomicroscope. Statistical analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). One-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s multiple post hoc procedures were used for statistical analysis. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The results obtained in the present study suggested that the highest mean shear bond strength observed was in case of Group II specimen with a mean value of 11.83 ± 1.92 MPa, whereas the least shear bond strength was observed in case of Group III specimen with a mean value of 10.33 ± 1.31 MPa, with the results being statistically significant (P = 0.014). Conclusions: Within the limitations of the present study, it was concluded that comparatively lesser/weaker shear bond strength values were observed in case of specimen belonging to Group III, wherein among the 30 teeth belonging to Group III, 12 teeth showed shear bond strength value of 9 MPa which was the lowest in the study. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Practice-based learning and improvement, Patient care and procedural skills, Systems-based practice, Medical knowledge.