Effect of food simulating liquids on the flexural strength of a methacrylate and silorane-based composite.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of food-simulating liquids on the flexural strength of a methacrylate-based and a silorane-based resin composite. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this in vitro study, sixty specimens of Filtek P90 and Filtek Z350 composite were prepared in a customized mold (2 × 2 × 25 mm). The specimens of each composite were divided into five subgroups as follows: one as a control group and the other four groups included distilled water, heptane, 2% citric acid, and 50% aqueous ethanol. The specimens were stored in the solutions for one week at 37°C, and the control group was stored at room temperature for the same period of time. Then, flexural strength values were measured. The statistical analysis was performed by One-Way ANOVA, Paired T test and post hoc LSD at a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: In the control group, the mean flexural strength of Filtek P90 and Filtek Z350 were 155.1 MPa and 147.3 MPa, respectively, and there was no significant difference (P-value>0.05). The mean flexural strength of Filtek P90 and Filtek Z350 significantly decreased in ethanol (P-value <0.05). Immersion in 0.02 N citric acid and heptane had no significant effect on the flexural strength of Filtek P90 and Filtek Z350. The maximum flexural strength of Filtek P90 was in the heptane group (192.6 MPa) and minimum flexural strength was in ethanol group (92.7 MPa) the maximum flexural strength of Filtek Z350 was in the heptane group (163.2 MPa) and minimum flexural strength was in the ethanol group (104.7 MPa). CONCLUSION: The flexural strength of tested resin composites significantly affected by ethanol solution. The flexural strength of resin composites was not affected by other food simulating liquids.

Effect of self-etching primer/adhesive and conventional bonding on the shear bond strength in metallic and ceramic brackets.

INTRODUCTION: Bracket debonding from the tooth surface is a common problem in fixed orthodontics. The aims of the present study were to assess the bond strength and failure sites in two ways of bonding technique, with metallic and ceramic brackets. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred premolars were assigned to 4 groups of 25 each: Group A, metallic brackets/conventional procedure; Group B, metallic brackets/Transbond XT; Group C, ceramic brackets/conventional procedure; and Group D, ceramic brackets/Transbond XT. Transbond XT composite paste was used for bracket bonding and cured by conventional light-cure device. Specimens were subjected to thermocycling. One week after bonding shearing force was applied to the bracket-tooth interface. Bonding failure site optically examined using a stereomicroscope under 10 × magnifications and scoring was done using the adhesive remnant index (ARI). Data were subjected to analysis of One-way variance, Tukey post hoc, Chi-square and Spearman's tests. RESULTS: Mean bond strength (in MPa) were: group A=9.2, group B=8.5, group C=6.2 and group D=5.7. Bond strength differences between groups A and B, and between C and D were not significant, (p<0.0005). Insignificant difference found in ARI in all groups. CONCLUSION: The bond strengths of metallic brackets were significantly higher than ceramic ones and the self-etching primer produce fewer bonds than the conventional method (clinically acceptable).A positive correlation found between changes in shearing bond strength and ARI.