Effect of etching with different hydrofluoric acid concentrations on bond strength between glazed feldspathic ceramic and metal brackets
<p><strong>Objective – </strong>The aim of this study was evaluate the effect of etching with different hydrofluoric acid (HF) concentrations on the shear bond strength between glazed feldspathic ceramic and metal brackets. <strong>Materials and Methods</strong> – Seventy-five blocks of glazed feldspathic ceramic were produced and randomly allocated to 5 groups: <strong>Ctrl-</strong> silane application only; <strong>HF1-</strong> HF1%+silane; <strong>HF3- </strong>HF3%+silane; <strong>HF5-</strong> HF5%+silane; <strong>HF10-</strong> HF10%+silane (standard procedures: etching for 1 min + washing + drying + silanization). Metal brackets for upper central incisors (Edgewise Standard) were bonded on the ceramic surface with the use of an adhesive system and light-cured composite resin (Transbond<sup>TM</sup> XT, 3M). The specimens were aged for 60 days (thermocycling: 10000x at 5-55 °C; stored in distilled water at 37 °C). Shear testing was performed, and specimens were classified for their Adhesive-Remnant-Index (ARI). Topographical inspection and contact angle analysis of the etched ceramic surfaces were performed. Data were statistically analyzed using the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test. One-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey’s tests were applied to the contact angle data (p < 0.05). <strong>Results</strong> – No significant difference was detected between the shear bond strength of the groups; but surface etching had a significant influence on the contact angle results (p < 0.00001). The control group presented the highest mean contact angle (61.8 ± 17.2°). All specimens showed adhesive failure at the resin-ceramic interface. <strong>Conclusion –</strong> The tested HF concentrations did not significantly influence the obtained shear bond strength of metal brackets adhered to glazed feldspathic ceramic surfaces.</p><p><strong>Keywords</strong></p><p>Ceramics; Hydrofluoric acid; Adhesion; Brackets; Silanization.</p>