| Abstract [eng] |
In this study qualitative and quantitative enamel microcracks’ (EMCs) characteristics (severity, direction, location, length, and width) were evaluated and compared before and after removal of metal and ceramic brackets for the teeth from younger- and older-age groups. An innovative methodology for EMCs examination, employing scanning electron microscope (SEM) and derived formulas, was presented, helping to detect and measure precisely with micrometer resolution the same EMC before and after brackets’ removal. Detailed analysis of EMCs’ characteristics disclosed that irrespective of the bracket type, teeth from the older-age group demonstrated a higher mean overall length and width before and after debonding compared with the younger-age group. The distinction between different severity EMCs (i.e. visible with the naked eye and visible with the help of SEM) was identified. The parameters of these EMCs were evaluated and compared. It was determined that the visibility of EMCs before bonding, taken alone, was of low prognostic value for predicting EMCs increase during brackets’ removal. Guidelines were established for the predictions about the higher risk of greater enamel damage during debonding from a set of the EMCs’ parameters, age group, and the type of the bracket used at the beginning of the treatment. Practical recommendations were presented. Possibilities to use the acquired data in clinical practice and further in vitro and in vivo laboratory studies of EMCs were revealed. |
