In vitro evaluation of microleakage under ceramic and metal brackets bonded with LED and plasma arc curing.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate these two high intensity light curing units regarding microleakage beneath metal and ceramic brackets.

Materials And Methods: A total of 60 freshly extracted human premolar teeth were randomly divided into four groups of 15 samples; group I: Metal bracket + LED cured, group II: Ceramic bracket + LED cured, group III: Metal bracket + plasma arc cured, group IV: Ceramic bracket + plasma arc cured. After photopolymerization, the teeth were immersed in water and thermocycled (500 cycles between 5 and 55). Specimens were further sealed with nail varnish and stained with 5% basic fuchsin for 24 hours. All of the teeth were sectioned with two parallel longitudinal occlusogingival cuts and examined under a stereomicroscope. The microleakage was measured with a digital caliper and scored from 0 to 3 for marginal microleakage at the bracket-adhesive and adhesive-enamel interfaces from both the occlusal and gingival margins.

Results: Microleakage was detected in all groups. The plasma arc cured group showed less microleakage than light emitting diode (LED) cured in all samples at the enamel-adhesive interface at the gingival margin (ceramic brackets, p = 0.009 and metal brackets, p = 0.005). The plasma arc cured samples showed less microleakage than LED cured in metal brackets at the adhesive-brackets interface at the occlusal margin (p = 0.033). While curing with an LED unit, ceramic brackets displayed significantly less microleakage than metal ones at the gingival margin of adhesive-enamel interface (p = 0.013). The gingival margin in all groups exhibited higher microleakage compared with those observed in occlusal sides in all sample groups (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: 1. LED units cause more microleakage than plasma arc units. 2. In all groups the microleakage at the gingival margin is greater than the occlusal margin.

Clinical Significance: The microleakage formation permits the passage of bacteria and oral fluids initiating white spot lesions beneath the bracket base.