Are flowable resin-based composites a reliable material for metal orthodontic bracket bonding?

Aim: To compare the tensile bond strength (TBS) and adhesive remnant index (ARI) of three flowable resin-based composites and three orthodontic adhesive systems for metal bracket bonding.

Methods And Materials: Sixty bovine incisors were randomly divided into six groups. Enamel surfaces were etched with 37 percent phosphoric acid for 30 seconds and stainless steel orthodontic brackets were bonded using either flowable resin-based composites (3M Flow, FL; Tetric Flow, TF; and Wave, WA) or orthodontic bonding systems (Transbond XT, TX; Concise Orthodontic, CO; Fill Magic Ortodôntico, FM).