In-vivo prospective comparison of bond failure rates of 2 self-etching primer/adhesive systems

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to comparatively assess the bond failure rates of orthodontic brackets bonded with 2 self-etching primer (SEP) bonding systems over an 18-month period. Methods: Thirty-six consecutively treated orthodontic patients were bonded with Transbond Plus SEP with Transbond XT adhesive (3M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif) and with Ideal 1 SEP with Ideal 1 adhesive (GAC International, Bohemia, NY). In each patient, the teeth were divided into 2 groups based on the universal numbering system (1-32). All even-numbered teeth (340) were bonded with the Transbond system, and all odd-numbered teeth (340) were bonded with the Ideal 1 system. A total of 680 teeth were bonded and followed for a minimum of 18 months. Results: The average percentages of bond failures were 12.4% and 4.1% in the teeth treated with Ideal 1 and Transbond Plus, respectively (P < .001), for a difference of 8.4 percentage points (95% CI, 4.2 to 12.6 percentage points). Conclusions: Because the bond failure rate with the Transbond Plus SEP system was one third that of the Ideal 1 SEP system, Transbond Plus appears to be a better choice for routine orthodontic clinical practices.