Evaluation of modifying the bonding protocol of a new acid-etch primer on the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets when light curing both the self-etch primer and the adhesive in one step. Fourty eight teeth were bonded with self-etch primer Angel I (3M/ESPE, St Paul, Minn) and divided into three groups. In group I (control), 16 teeth were stored in deionized water for 24 hours before debonding. In group II, 16 teeth were debonded within half-an-hour to simulate when the initial archwires were ligated. In group III, 16 additional teeth were bonded using exactly the same procedure as in groups I and II, but the light cure used for 10 seconds after applying the acid-etch primer was eliminated, and the light cure used for 20 seconds after the precoated bracket was placed over the tooth. This saved at least two minutes of the total time of the bonding procedure. The teeth in this group were also debonded within half-an-hour from the time of initial bonding. The teeth debonded after 24 hours of water storage at 37 degrees C had a mean shear bond strength of 6.0 +/- 3.5 MPa, the group that was debonded within half-an-hour of two light exposures had a mean shear bond strength of 5.9 +/- 2.7 MPa, and the mean for the group with only one light cure exposure was 4.3 +/- 2.6 MPa. Light curing the acid-etch primer together with the adhesive after placing the orthodontic bracket did not significantly diminish the shear bond strength as compared with light curing the acid-etch primer and the adhesive separately.