Light Activation and Thermocycling Methods on the Shear Bond Strength of Brackets Bonded to Porcelain Surfaces.

The present study was evaluated the effect of different light activation and thermocycling methods on the shear bond strength (SBS) and on the adhesive remnant index (ARI) of metal brackets bonded to feldspathic ceramic. Hundred metal brackets were bonded to 20 porcelain cylinders, divided into four groups (n=25) based on light activation and thermocycling processes. The cylinders were etched with 10% hydrofluoric acid for 60 s and coated with two layers of silane. The brackets were bonded with Transbond XT composite resin. Light activation in Groups 1 and 3 was performed during 3 s using the VALO Ortho Cordless appliance with irradiance 3,200 mW/cm2 and in Groups 2 and 4 for 40 s using Optilight Max appliance with irradiance 1,200 mW/cm². The samples were stored in deionized water at 37°C for 24 h and the samples from Groups 1 and 2 were submitted to the SBS test at a rate of 1 mm/min, whereas the samples from Groups 3 and 4 were submitted to 7,000 thermal cycles (5°/55°C) before to the SBS test. The data were assessed by two-way analysis of variance and by Tukey's test (a=0.05). No significant difference was observed between SBS means in the different light activation devices used. The samples subjected to thermocycling revealed lower SBS values (p≤0.05). There was predominance of score 0 for ARI in all groups. Therefore, the different light activation methods did not interfere in SBS, but thermocycling reduced SBS.