Storage Media: A Neglected Variable for in vitro Studies

Abstract

Technological advancements in the field of material sciences necessitate various laboratory testing procedures before a material is cleared and introduced commercially into clinical practice. The clinician is faced with an array of orthodontic bonding adhesives flooded in the market. The researcher provides valuable input into the range of bond strengths of the materials available to the clinician. Most of the orthodontic adhesives are tested for bond strength and biocompatibility in vitro, as there are ethical and clinical issues involved with testing these materials in vivo. These difficulties in research have led to the in vitro testing procedures on extracted human/ bovine teeth. The extracted teeth are a potential source for crosscontamination to laboratory equipments and personnel, hence they need to be decontaminated before storage. Numerous solutions for storage and disinfection/sterilization methods to treat extracted teeth are in practice. It is vital to remember that the reliability and success of bond strength studies and bonding procedures depend both on the integrity of enamel/dentin as well as the bonding material used. The storage media usually provide adequate disinfection/sterilization of the teeth, however the focus of concern is on the ability of these media to conserve the integrity of surfaces to be bonded, i.e. the enamel and/or dentin. Hence, the question arises, if these storage media have an adulterating effect on research studies assessing bond strength. Therefore, it was decided to conduct this research on the effects of storage media, which may be considered as a neglected variable in most of the in vitro bond strength studies.