Failure evaluation after a 6-year retention period: a comparison between glass fiber-reinforced (GFR) and multistranded bonded retainers.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to compare bond failure and breakage rates of two types of bonded lingual orthodontic retainers (GFR and .0175" multistranded stainless steel wire [MST]) after a 6-year retention period.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Eighty-five young adults were randomly divided into two groups: 40 subjects received 48 GFR retainers (14 maxillary and 34 mandibular retainers), and 45 subjects received 50 MST retainers (18 maxillary and 32 mandibular retainers). A Fisher's exact test was performed in order to identify significant differences in the percentage of detachment and breakage of the retainers between the groups.

RESULTS

The maxillary detachment rates were 21.42% for the GFR group and 22.22% for the MST group; the mandibular detachment rates were 11.76% for the GFR group and 15.62% for the MST group. The maxillary breakage rates were 7.14% for the GFR group and 16.66% for the MST group; the mandibular breakage rates were 8.82% for the GFR group and 15.62% for the MST group. The differences were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

GFR and multistranded stainless steel retainers showed similar results in terms of bond failure and breakage after 6 years of retention. The use of GFR retainers as a retention strategy should not be discouraged and could be considered a viable esthetic alternative to stainless steel wire retainers.