Comparative evaluation of the effect of recycling on shear bond strength of stainless steel bracket

Aim: In clinical practice, Orthodontist is in dilemma while encountering used brackets. Recycling the brackets is one of the solutions. This recycling process deals with removing bonding agent remnants from the bracket base, thus allowing the brackets to be reused in the procedure. Method: For the present study, eighty non-carious human premolar, extracted for orthodontic reasons, was collected. They were randomly allocated to 4 groups: One control group (group A) and three experimental groups (group B, group C and group D). Step by step bonding procedure was performed. The bracket of all 3 experimental groups was debonded within 30 minutes after bonding to simulate the clinical condition at which a newly bonded bracket was tied to the arch wire. One way Anova was used with post hoc for comparison. Level of statistical significance set at 0.05. Result: Control group in which no debonding and rebonding procedure was performed has highest shear bond strength followed by experimental group D, in which bracket base was cleaned with aluminum oxide sandblasting and experimental group C, in which bracket base was cleaned with ultrasonic scalar while the last experimental group B in which bracket base was cleaned with slow speed round carbide bur have least shear bond strength. Conclusion: The recycling of debonded bracket with aluminum oxide sandblaster has given out better results over the other two techniques. The bracket recycling by this technique had a better bond strength. Hence from this study sandblasting technique proved to be more efficient and satisfactory to the clinician with respect to bond strength.