Fluoride release from orthodontic cements—effect of specimen surface area and depth

Objective. The aims of this in vitro study were firstly to compare fluoride release from a disc model of two orthodontic cements with various surfaces varnished, reducing the surface area by 25, 50 and 75%; secondly, to measure the fluoride release from previously exhausted discs of the same cements following removal of various depths of surface material. Methods. Forty discs of each cement, Fuji Ortho LC and Ultra Band-Lok, (6 mm diameter by 3 mm) were divided into two groups of 20 discs each. For each material, the first group was divided further into four groups of five discs, one group acting as control, while the other three groups were varnished reducing the surface area by 25, 50 and 75%, respectively. The second group was exhausted initially over a 60 day pre-experimental period and was subsequently divided into four groups of five discs, one group acting as control. The other three groups had material ground from one of the flat surfaces, to depths of 10, 100 or 1000 μm, to reveal a fresh surface. In both studies, the discs were immersed either daily (up to day 20) or twice weekly (up to day 60) in fresh 2 ml aliquots of deionised water. The fluoride concentration in the deionised water was measured at the end of the experimental period. Results. For each cement, the relationship between the cumulative fluoride release and the percentage of the surface covered was clearly non linear at both 5 and 60 days. Fuji Ortho LC proved to release significantly greater amounts of fluoride at both 5 days and 60 days compared with Ultra Band-Lok. The results for Ultra Band-Lok were also significant when compared to the control group, but significantly less fluoride was released when compared with Fuji Ortho LC. When comparing the 25 and 50% covered discs, the amount of fluoride released was not significantly different for both cements. Furthermore, the relationship between fluoride release and depth was clearly non linear for both cements. Conclusions. For the materials tested in this study, reducing the surface area of the discs did not reduce the cumulative fluoride release in a linear fashion. In addition, the previously exhausted discs began to release fluoride again, but this fell to concentrations similar to the control discs after the initial 5-day period for both cements. This suggests that further traces of previously unreleased fluoride had become available from the subsurface of these cements. The pattern of fluoride release was similar for all mode