Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, University of Bern, Switzerland.
Angle Orthod. 2012 Jul;82(4):691-7. doi: 10.2319/092511-605.1. Epub 2012 Jan 9.
To compare the alterations in esthetic appearance and slot morphology/integrity of two main types of esthetic brackets caused after clinical use.
Sixteen ceramic (CR) and 16 plastic (PR) central incisor brackets were obtained from 16 young adult patients at the end of treatment in a prospective randomized manner. As controls, 12 ceramic (CC) and 12 plastic (PC) nonused brackets were also examined. Three representative slot width measurements were obtained through micrometric microscopy. Visual inspection of optical microscopy images, surface electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were also performed.
Intraoral exposure time varied from 5 to 20 months (mean, 12.4; P = .73). Two-way analysis of variance revealed significant differences in slot width among the different materials and a significant interaction between the material effect and its status (P < .001). Bonferroni post hoc tests on material × status effect showed significant differences between CC (95% confidence interval [CI]: 434.5, 447.0) vs PC (95% CI: 460.2, 472.8), CC vs CR (95% CI: 453.2, 464.4), and PC vs PR (95% CI: 448.8, 458.9). Interestingly, a significant difference was not detected for CR vs PR. Slot width was correlated with the time under clinical use only for plastic brackets (PR: r = -.64, P < .01). Visual inspection of the optical microscopy images did not reveal any major macroscopic morphological disfigurements or significant discolorations. However, a rough and irregular slot wall surface was evident after clinical use (also with SEM), especially in the bottom of the slot.
Both bracket types presented adequate clinical performance at least for the time period studied and in terms of esthetic appearance and morphologic integrity.
比较两种主要类型的美学托槽在临床使用后对美观外观和槽形态/完整性的改变。
以随机前瞻性方式从 16 名年轻成年患者的治疗结束时获得 16 个陶瓷（CR）和 16 个塑料（PR）中切牙托槽。作为对照，还检查了 12 个陶瓷（CC）和 12 个塑料（PC）未使用的托槽。通过测微显微镜获得三个代表性的槽宽测量值。还进行了光学显微镜图像、表面电子显微镜（SEM）和能谱分析（EDS）的目视检查。
口内暴露时间从 5 至 20 个月不等（平均 12.4；P = .73）。双因素方差分析显示，不同材料之间的槽宽存在显著差异，且材料效果与其状态之间存在显著相互作用（P <.001）。对材料×状态效果的 Bonferroni 事后检验显示 CC 与 PC（95%置信区间[CI]：434.5，447.0）、CC 与 CR（95% CI：453.2，464.4）、PC 与 PR（95% CI：448.8，458.9）之间存在显著差异。有趣的是，CR 与 PR 之间未检测到显著差异。只有塑料托槽的槽宽与临床使用时间相关（PR：r = -.64，P <.01）。光学显微镜图像的目视检查未显示任何主要的宏观形态缺陷或明显变色。然而，临床使用后槽壁表面粗糙且不规则（SEM 也如此），尤其是在槽的底部。
这两种托槽类型在至少研究期间的临床表现方面都表现出足够的性能，无论是在美观外观还是形态完整性方面。
