Impact of Rubbing and Waiting Technique of a Universal Adhesive System on Shear Bond Strength of Orthodontic Brackets: A Comparative Analysis

Background: One important factor in orthodontics to consider is the bracket's bonding strength to the teeth substrate. This study's objective is to see how the rubbing and waiting approach of a universal adhesive system affects the shear bond strength and adhesive remnant index (ARI) of orthodontic brackets. Materials and Methods: This was an experimental study (in vitro). Fifty newly extracted human maxillary first premolars were divided into five groups of 10 teeth each. The universal adhesive was applied on the buccal surface with 20 seconds of rubbing followed by 0, 5, 10, 15, or 20 seconds of waiting protocol according to their group. The teeth were set into blocks of acrylic resin, and the shear bond strength was tested. Afterwards, ARI was assessed. Statistical analyses were performed using the one-way analysis of variance and Tukey HSD post hoc. In addition to the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: One-way ANOVA showed significant differences (p=0.000) between the groups. The maximum shear bond strength was for group 5 (18.93 ± 2.82), with significant differences from group 1 (p= 0.000) and group 2 (p= 0.006). The minimum bond strength was for group 1 (11.09 ± 1.50), with significant differences from all the other groups. ARI scores revealed no significant differences between the groups (p= 0.406). Conclusion: By allowing for adequate solvent evaporation and monomer infiltration—both of which are essential for the clinical outcome of orthodontic treatment—extending the waiting period improves the shear bond strength. The ARI was not significantly impacted by waiting time.