Orthodontic bonding of tooth colored brackets from a different perspective: An optical coherence tomography investigation

Bracket bonding has become routine procedure in fixed orthodontics over the past couple of decades. The choice whether to receive ceramic or polycarbonate brackets is mainly the patient's but the issues related to bonding them are part of the practitioner's responsibility. Recurrent bracket debonding can unduly prolong treatment or even lead to compromised results. Therefore, we collected human extracted premolars and bonded them with aesthetic brackets and investigated them by a new, non-invasive method - optical coherence tomography (OCT) in order to assess the quality of the bracket-tooth interface. The OCT investigation revealed a series of gaps within the adhesive at the bracket-tooth interface.