Assessment of Wettability and Contact Angle of Bonding Agent with Enamel Surface Etched by Five Commercially Available Etchants: An In Vitro Study

Abstract

Background. The quantity and quality of the etching pattern produced by acids play a significant role in the wettability and contact angle of the adhesive with the enamel surface in orthodontics. The better the etch pattern, the more the surface energy of the enamel, better the penetration of the adhesive, which ultimately results in better bond strength. The present study aimed to evaluate the contact angle of the bonding agent with the enamel surface etched by five commercially available etchants and check if any difference existed between the five. Materials and Methods. Twenty-five human maxillary and mandibular central incisors and premolars extracted for orthodontic or dental purposes were used in this study as samples. The teeth were allocated into five groups based upon the etchant used to etch the enamel surface. After the samples were etched, a hard tissue microtome was used to create thin slices of the enamel surface. The samples were then exposed to bonding agent Ormco Enlight. The bonding agent was released in the form of droplets onto the enamel slices mounted on a contact angle goniometer. The contact angle values were tabulated, and statistical analysis using the one-way ANOVA test was carried out. Results. The contact angle measurements of the etchant group, DPI, were the lowest, while D-tech has the highest contact angle values. However, statistical analysis revealed no statistically significant difference between the contact angle measurements of the five groups included in the study. Conclusion. No statistically significant difference existed between the five etchant groups included in the study. However, commercially available etchant DPI showed lesser contact angle and thus better wettability in comparison to other groups. Further elemental analysis and surface analysis are required to validate these results.

Effectiveness of Different Etching Agents on Enamel Surface and Shear Bond Strength: An In Vitro Evaluation

“…The selective removal of component(s) from a solid surface can be done by etching. As a result, there is an increase in surface area, surface free energy, and wettability of the surface [ 11 , 12 ]. The chemical composition of tooth structure, the technique used, type, concentration, pH and viscosity of acid used, and time of application of acid are the various factors that influence the effects of acid etching.…”

“…The chemical composition of tooth structure, the technique used, type, concentration, pH and viscosity of acid used, and time of application of acid are the various factors that influence the effects of acid etching. The present study has evaluated the effect of different chemical compositions of the etching agents for enamel conditioning [ 11 , 13 ]. We utilized 101 extracted premolars in this study.…”

Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Mechanical Properties of a Novel Propolis-Modified Orthodontic Primer: An In-Vitro Study

“…The capacity of the primer to adapt and wet the enamel surface affects how well the bracket base will adhere [25]. The CA of the liquid primer can be used to determine its wetting behaviour.…”

Benzyldimethyldodecyl Ammonium Chloride Doped Dental Adhesive: Impact on Core’s Properties, Biosafety, and Antibacterial/Bonding Performance after Aging

“…A set of 3 images was captured within 2 s after placing the liquid adhesive on the dentin specimen; a contact angle goniometer was used for measurements. Again, a single operator was observing the measurements [ 25 ].…”