Effects of enamel deproteinization with different application times on the shear bond strength of a self-etching primer: An in vitro study.

Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effects of enamel deproteinization on the shear bond strength of a self-etching primer Transbond Plus™(TBP), with different application times of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl 5.25%), primarily and secondarily on the adhesive remnant index score.

Materials And Methods: One hundred twenty-five freshly extracted human premolars were randomly and blindly divided into five groups according to the enamel surface preparation, as follows (n=25): group 1(control): Etching with 37% phosphoric acid for 15seconds+Bonding; group 2 (control): TBP™ without NaOCl, group 3: 60seconds NaOCl+TBP™, group 4: 30seconds NaOCl+TBP™, group 5: 15seconds NaOCl+TBP™. The same composite resin was used (Transbond XT™) to bond the orthodontic metal brackets. After the immersion of the teeth in distilled water at 37°C for 24hours the shear bond strength was measured using the universal testing machine and the adhesive remnant index score (ARI) was evaluated under an optical microscope (25×).

Results: The mean SBS values (inMPa) of the groups were respectively: group 1: 13.03±5.36; group 2: 12.28±3.06; group 3: 12.38±4.55; group 4: 12.98±5.76; and group 5: 11.73±5.67. Enamel deproteinization increased the SBS for groups 3 and 4, but no statistically significant difference was found between the five groups (P=0.883). Group 1 showed the highest ARI scores, with 52% of the teeth retaining all the adhesive (score 3). However, for all the other groups, scores 0 and 1 were predominant, with less than half of the adhesive or no adhesive at all remaining on the teeth.

Conclusions: Enamel deproteinization with sodium hypochlorite (5.25%) and the variation of its application time has no effect on the SBS of the self-etching primer Transbond Plus ™.