Heat generated by residual adhesive removal after debonding of brackets.

Aim: To measure the rise in temperature during mechanical removal of residual adhesive after debonding of brackets in vitro.

Methods: Different carbide burs on a high-speed handpiece were tested. Acrylic on the buccal surfaces of recently extracted human maxillary incisors was removed using 3 types of carbide burs (6-, 12-, 40-fluted) with a varying number of windings relative to the long axis of the shaft.