An in vitro study on the effect of an oscillating stripping method on enamel roughness

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to assess the changes in enamel roughness parameters before and after stripping with an oscillating diamond strip system. METHODS: Sound premolars extracted for orthodontic reasons were embedded up to their cervical area in a polyvinylsiloxane putty, creating four groups of four teeth with three interproximal areas each (mesial/distal). The same regions of interproximal enamel surfaces were studied by 3D optical interferometric profilometry before and after stripping with the Ortho-Strips system (Intensiv Dental SA, Montagnola, Switzerland) (n teeth = 16, n contact points = 12, n sites measured = 24). The roughness parameters tested were the amplitude parameters Sa and Sz, the hybrid parameter Sdr, and the functional parameters Sci and Svi. The parameter differences (ΔSa, ΔSz, ΔSdr, ΔSci, ΔSvi) were calculated per region and statistically analyzed by one-sample Mann-Whitney rank sum test (a = 0.05). RESULTS: High statistically significant differences were found in ΔSa, ΔSz, and ΔSvi median values (0.453, 3.870, and 0.040 μm, respectively); a significant difference in ΔSdr median value (1.514%); and no statistically significant difference in ΔSci (0.110 median value). CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of the present study, the Ortho-Strips system seems to significantly increase the amplitude parameters Sa and Sz; the hybrid parameter Sdr, associated with the developed interfacial area ratio; and the functional parameter Svi, which depicts the volume of the deepest valleys. Under the conditions of the present study, the Ortho-Strips seems to significantly increase four of five measured roughness parameters.