Background: The objective of the in vitro study was to evaluate the impact of two adhesive removal techniques on the surface roughness of the human enamel surface using laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM).
Methods: Forty healthy first upper molar teeth were included in this experiment (20 teeth per each group). T0 measurement of surface roughness parameter of the teeth were conducted using LSCM. The teeth were bonded with metal brackets. Following 24 hours of sample storage in distilled water, the brackets were debonded. A modified adhesive remnant index (ARI) was used to exclude samples with below 90% adhesive remnants on their surface. The remaining 36 teeth were then randomly divided into two groups (18 teeth per group) with the following debonding procedures: group TC (single stage method using a Smoozie tungsten carbide bur) and group TCP (two stage method using a Smoozie tungsten carbide bur, followed by a Smoozie polisher). The time needed for complete adhesive removal was recorded and T1 surface roughness measurements were conducted again after adhesive removal using LSCM.
Results: Significantly higher surface roughness values were recorded in group TC, compared to group TCP (P<0.01). Method TCP, on the other hand, was significantly more time-consuming than method TC (P<0.01).
Conclusions: Despite the fact that the two-stage method (group TCP) was more time consuming, the lower level of enamel surface roughness in this method suggests the superiority of this method.