How to Apply Bonding Adhesive
For all bracket choices except the 3M Flash Free, you will apply bonding adhesive just prior to bonding your patient. Once the adhesive is applied, place the DIB trays within a light safe box to prevent the adhesive from activating.
Adhere to the directions on the adhesive for the maximum amount of time you can apply adhesive without it beginning to cure.
Depending on the bonding adhesive you are using, you can use either a composite instrument or a composite gun to apply.
Step 1
If using composite instrument, first put bonding adhesive on a non-stick pad and cover with light safe cover until ready to use.
Step 2
Using the composite instrument, take some of the bonding adhesive and place it directly onto the bracket pad. If using a composite gun, apply the adhesive directly onto the bracket. Direct application using a gun may increase the difficulty in using the correct amount of adhesive.
The amount of adhesive to use depends on the size of the bracket. For larger brackets, more bonding adhesive is needed. Adhesive should be applied to the entire base of the bracket to ensure proper bonding strength. The adhesive must be pushed into the mesh or base of each pad to insure an adequate bond strength and adaptation to the tooth surface. You want enough adhesive to contact the surface of the tooth without any voids under the bracket base. You also want avoid too much adhesive because that results in flash around the bracket base. Too much adhesive can also affect the bracket position and alter the accuracy of your predicted setup’s outcome.
- If adhesive appears as a mound, too much has been applied.
- The appearance of the adhesive should be flat.
- If you need to remove adhesive, use the composite instrument and transfer it back to the non-stick pad.
Step 3
After adhesive has been applied to all brackets, place the loaded tray into a light and air tight box to avoid compromising the adhesive and it setting prior to bonding.
Trays can be preloaded prior to the patient appointment, but avoid extended periods of time. Consult your adhesive manufacturer but most will be effective up to 24 hours in a controlled environment.
Considerations:
- Excessive resin can create flash around the bracket bases affecting oral hygiene. Excessive flash can also reduce the accuracy of bracket placement and reduce the effectiveness of a customized bracket system.
- Insufficient resin can result in voids around the bracket base and create oral hygiene issues. Insufficient flash can also reduce the accuracy of bracket placement and reduce the effectiveness of a customized bracket system.
