The influence of dynamic fatigue loading on the separate components of the bracket-cement-enamel system.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the influence of cyclic loading and type of adhesive on the shear bond strength of the bracket-cement-enamel bond. METHODS: The materials studied were: Transbond XT (a Bis-GMA resin composite cement), Fuji Ortho LC (a resin-modified glass-ionomer cement), and Fuji IX Fast (a conventional glass-ionomer cement). The shear bond strength (SBS) and the shear bond fatigue limits (SBFL) were determined after 72-hour storage in 37 degrees C water for the cement itself, the button-cement interface, the cement-enamel interface, and the bracket-cement-enamel system. The SBFL was determined with the aid of the "staircase method" at 10,000 cycles. The results were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey HSD post hoc test (P < 0.05). RESULTS: ANOVA showed significant differences between the SBS of the materials. Fatigue was observed in all substrate combinations, with the exception for the Fuji IX Fast cement-enamel and the Fuji Ortho LC bracket-cement-enamel combinations.