The effect of heat treatment and surface neutralization on bond strength of orthodontic brackets to lithium disilicate glass-ceramic

Abstract Purpose The study evaluated and compared the effect of pre-etching heat treatment and post-etching surface neutralization on the surface texture parameters and initial adhesion strength of orthodontic brackets bonded to lithium disilicate glass-ceramic using water-based and resin-based cement. Materials and methods A total of 120 samples were fabricated by duplicating the buccal surface of the maxillary premolar. The samples were randomly assigned to two groups: the cementing surface of group 1 samples was heat-treated, and that of group 2 samples was left untreated. The samples of each group were further divided into 4 subgroups (n = 15) according to the use of neutralization and the type of cement used for bonding. The surface texture parameters after etching were determined using a non-contact surface profilometer, and the bond strength was determined by a universal material tester. The results were analyzed by analysis of variance and the Scheffe post hoc test. Results The samples that were heat-treated showed statistically significant higher bond strength in all the subgroups, and the acid-neutralized samples showed higher bond strength using both types of cement; however, the increase was statistically significant only in resin-based cement-bonded samples. Resin-based cement-bonded samples showed higher bond strength than water-based cement-bonded samples. Conclusion Pre-etching heat treatment and post-etching acid neutralization of the cementing surface of lithium disilicate glass-ceramic significantly improve the surface texture and initial bond strength to orthodontic brackets.