COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES USED TO IMPROVE THE SEALANTS ADHESION ON ENAMEL SURFACE

Traditional approaches, to treat caries, in a surgical manner, were replaced by new strategies that focus on preventing disease and preserving intact tooth structure. One of the most efficient methods of teeth decay preventions is the sealing. The success of the sealant application technique on the enamel surface depends on the maintenance of tooth isolation, adequate rinsing and efficient photopolymerization and cooperation with patients (children). The purpose of this research is to improve adhesion of sealants on the enamel surface of tooth by various pretreatment techniques. Posterior teeth, recently extracted for orthodontic reasons, free of caries, were treated by acid etching, UV radiations and plasma. Plasma was generated in a dielectric barrier discharge with asymmetrical configuration of electrodes, working at atmospheric pressure in helium. The control of plasma parameters was assured by electrical and optical diagnosis and the main surface properties of enamel implied in the sealant adhesion, respectively roughness and wettability, were investigated by atomic force microscopy and contact angle measurements.