Heat treatment following surface silanization in rebonded tribochemical silica-coated ceramic brackets: shear bond strength analysis

Sensing of Magnetic-Field Gradients with Nanodiamonds on Optical Glass-Fiber Facets

We demonstrate a photonic sensor of the magnetic field and its gradients with remote readout. The sensor is based on optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) in nanodiamonds with nitrogen-vacancy color centers that are covalently attached as a thin film on one facet of an optical fiber bundle. By measuring ODMR signals from a group of individual fibers in an ∼0.5-mm-wide imaging bundle, differences of local magnetic field strengths and magnetic field gradients are determined across the plane of the bundle facet. The measured gradients are created by direct electric currents flowing in a wire placed near the nanodiamond film. The measurement enabled the determination of the net magnetic field corresponding to various current directions and their corresponding magnetic field gradients. This demonstration opens up a perspective for compact fiber-based endoscopy, with additional avenues for remote and sensitive magnetic field detection with submicrometer spatial resolution under ambient conditions.

The Use of Warm Air for Solvent Evaporation in Adhesive Dentistry: A Meta-Analysis of In Vitro Studies

Any excess solvent from dental adhesive systems must be eliminated prior to material photopolymerization. For this purpose, numerous approaches have been proposed, including the use of a warm air stream. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different temperatures of warm air blowing used for solvent evaporation on the bond strength of resin-based materials to dental and nondental substrates. Two different reviewers screened the literature in diverse electronic databases. In vitro studies recording the effect of warm air blowing to evaporate solvents of adhesive systems on the bond strength of resin-based materials to direct and indirect substrates were included. A total of 6626 articles were retrieved from all databases. From this, 28 articles were included in the qualitative analysis, and 27 remained for the quantitative analysis. The results of the meta-analysis for etch-and-rinse adhesives revealed that the use of warm air for solvent evaporation was statistically significantly higher (p = 0.005). For self-etch adhesives and silane-based materials, this effect was observed too (p < 0.001). The use of a warm air stream for solvent evaporation enhanced the bonding performance of alcohol-/water-based adhesive systems for dentin. This effect seems to be similar when a silane coupling agent is submitted to a heat treatment before the cementation of a glass-based ceramic.

Shear Bond Strength and Bracket Base Morphology of New and Rebonded Orthodontic Ceramic Brackets

The objectives of this study were to (1) to evaluate the shear bond strength (SBS) of two ceramic brackets when new and when rebonded following various bracket base conditioning methods, and (2) to determine bond failure mode relative to bracket base morphology. 100 Symetri Clear^TM (SC) and 100 Radiance Plus^® (RP) ceramic brackets were bonded to bovine incisors and divided into five groups: one group served as controls and four had brackets rebonded following conditioning by: no surface treatment, sealant, sandblasting, and flame then steam. SBS, adhesive remnant index, and bracket base morphology were evaluated. SBS showed no statistical difference between new and rebonded with no surface treatment or sealant (SC brackets) and with sealant or flame and steam (RP brackets). When comparing SC to RP, SBS was higher with SC, no surface treatment, and sandblasted groups. All groups had varying amounts of adhesive left on the tooth, with the sandblasted group having the most. SEM analysis showed that sandblasting damaged the retention features of bracket bases. In conclusion, when rebonded, the SBS of SC brackets that had no surface treatment and both SC and RP brackets that had sealant showed no significant differences to new brackets. Sandblasting damaged the retention features of SC and RP bracket bases, resulting in low SBS.