IntroductionOrthodontic treatment has many advantages such as esthetic improvement, function and self-estimation enhancement.
1Orthodontic appliances make oral hygiene more difficult and increase plaque accumulation. After installing fix orthodontic appliances in the mouth, Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus species increase. These bacteria release organic acid that causes dissolution of ions of calcium and phosphate from the enamel surface, which can lead to white spot lesions and this process can occur in 4 weeks.2 White spot lesions are defined as enamel decalcification due to subsurface mineral loss; while 10 to 30 µm of enamel surface remains intact. 3,4 The opaque appearance of the lesion is due to variations in light scattering of decalcified porous enamel. Years after orthodontic treatment, white spot lesions may develop into esthetic problems, because demineralized enamel may absorb colors from drinks and foods. 5,6 When the lesion progresses, remineralization gets tough and sometimes impossible 5,7 ; hence, it is important to prevent the formation of these lesions. Øgaard reported that 5 years after treatment, white spot lesions were more Orthodontic treatment has many advantages such as esthetic improvement and self-esteem enhancement; yet it has some disadvantages such as increasing the risk of formation of white spot lesions, because it makes oral hygiene more difficult. It is rational to implement procedures to prevent these lesions. The present study was aimed to assess the effect of CO 2 laser and fluoride varnish on the surface of the enamel surface microhardness around the orthodontic braces. Methods: Eighty extracted premolar teeth were selected, scaled, polished with nonfluoridated pumic and metal brackets were bonded to them. Then, they were randomly allocated to 5 groups: control (neither fluoride nor laser is used on enamel surfaces), fluoride (4 minutes fluoride varnish treatment of the enamel surfaces), CO 2 laser (10.6 µm CO 2 laser irradiation of the teeth), laserfluoride (fluoride application after laser irradiation) and fluoride-laser (fluoride was applied and then teeth were irradiated with laser). After surface treatment around brackets on enamel, the samples were stored in 0.1% thymol for less than 5 days and then they were exposed to a 10-day microbiological caries model. Microhardness values of enamel were evaluated with Vickers test. One sample of each group (5 teeth from 80 samples) was prepared for SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and the data from 75 remaining teeth were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square tests (α = 0.05).
Results:Microhardness mean values from high to low were as follow: fluoride-laser, laser-fluoride, laser, fluoride and control. Microhardness in fluoride-laser group was significantly higher compared with that of the control group. Distribution adhesive remnant index (ARI) scores were significantly different between groups and most of bond failures occurred at the enamel-adhesive interface in groups 2 to 5 and at the adhesive-b...
Introduction: Many patients seeking orthodontic treatment already have incipient enamel lesions and should be placed under preventive treatments. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of CPP-ACP paste and CO2 laser irradiation on demineralized enamel microhardness and shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets. Methods: Eighty caries-free human premolars were subjected to a demineralization challenge using Streptococcus mutans. After demineralization, the samples were randomly divided into five equal experimental groups: Group 1 (control), the brackets were bonded without any surface treatment; Group 2, the enamel surfaces were treated with CPP-ACP paste for 4 minutes before bonding; Group 3, the teeth were irradiated with CO2 laser beams at a wavelength of 10.6 µm for 20 seconds. The samples in Groups 4 and 5 were treated with CO2 laser either before or through CPP-ACP application. SEM photomicrographs of a tooth from each group were taken to observe the enamel surface. The brackets were bonded to the buccal enamel using a conventional method. Shear bond strength of brackets and ARI scores were measured. Vickers microhardness was measured on the non-bonded enamel surface. Data were analyzed with ANOVA and Tukey test at the p< 0.05 level. Results: The mean shear bond strength and microhardness of the laser group were higher than those in the control group and this difference was statistically significant (p< 0.05). All groups showed a higher percentage of ARI score 4. Conclusion: CO2 laser at a wavelength of 10.6 µm significantly increased demineralized enamel microhardness and enhanced bonding to demineralized enamel.
The CBCT PA cephalogram was more accurate than the conventional PA cephalogram, and landmarks farther from the midline exhibited greater changes on cephalograms compared with those closer to the midline. Patients are at risk of improper positioning when undergoing extraoral radiography such as PA cephalograms. Changes in head position may affect the transverse measurements and thus the treatment plan.
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