Using UV light for adhesive remnant removal after debonding of orthodontic accessories

Abstract The objective of this study was to assess the effect of a UV light-based auxiliary illumination on adhesive remnant (AR) removal after orthodontic debonding. Sixty human molars were divided according to the adhesive used for bonding: O-opaque; LF-low fluorescence; and HF-high fluorescence. After debonding, the teeth were subdivided according to the AR removal method: No UV light or With UV light. After AR removal, the teeth were polished. Direct visual analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and time quantification for AR removal analyses were performed (Fisher-Freeman-Halton, Fisher’s exact, chi-square trend, ANOVA, and independent t-tests; α = 5%). Concerning the adhesives, there was no significant difference among direct visual, SEM and time analyses for AR removal (p ≥ 0.05). Regarding AR removal methods, a similarity among the subgroups was verified for direct visual and SEM analyses (p≥0.05). However, a significant trend was verified for the with UV light method to produce greater marks, and the no UV light method, to produce a greater rate of samples with AR before polishing (p = 0.015). AR removal with light was significantly quicker in comparison with the no UV light method (p < 0.0001). The use of UV light may aid orthodontists in removing AR more thoroughly and in less time. However, they should receive special training to apply this technology, and should never dismiss the final polishing procedure.

摘要 本研究旨在评估基于紫外线的辅助照明对正畸脱粘结后粘结剂残留（Adhesive Remnant, AR）清除效果的影响。研究将60颗人磨牙按照粘结托槽所用的粘结剂分为三组：O-不透明型（O-opaque）、LF-低荧光型（LF-low fluorescence）以及HF-高荧光型（HF-high fluorescence）。托槽脱粘结后，按照AR清除方式将牙齿进一步分为两组：无紫外线辅助照明组与紫外线辅助照明组。完成AR清除后，对所有牙齿进行抛光处理。本研究采用直接视觉分析法、扫描电子显微镜（Scanning Electron Microscopy, SEM）以及AR清除时长量化法开展分析，所用统计方法包括Fisher-Freeman-Halton检验、Fisher确切概率法、卡方趋势检验、方差分析（Analysis of Variance, ANOVA）以及独立样本t检验，检验水准α=0.05。针对不同粘结剂组别，直接视觉分析、SEM分析以及时长量化分析在AR清除效果上均无显著统计学差异（p≥0.05）。就AR清除方式而言，直接视觉分析与SEM分析结果显示各亚组间无显著差异（p≥0.05）。但两组间存在显著趋势差异：紫外线辅助照明组更易在牙齿表面留下痕迹，而无紫外线照明组在抛光前仍残留AR的样本占比更高（p=0.015）。采用紫外线辅助照明的AR清除操作耗时显著短于无照明组（p<0.0001）。紫外线辅助照明可帮助正畸医师更彻底、更快速地清除AR。但临床应用该技术前需接受专项培训，且绝不可省略最终抛光步骤。