How Do I Bond 3D Bands?

Created by Olivia Koehler, Modified on Thu, 29 May at 9:33 AM by Olivia Koehler

SLS 3D Metal Bands are printed in a premium stainless steel, and require a different cementation procedure from traditional bands.

This article focuses on bonding and cements related to 3D Metal Bands. For more information on the design options for these appliances, please reference the design article.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Bonding Procedure
Mechanical vs Chemical Retention
Cement Comparison
Debonding Procedure
Troubleshooting

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Bonding Procedure

SLS 3D Metal Bands are bonded to the tooth, much more akin to bonding a bracket than cementing a traditional band. For optimal results, we recommend the following procedure, developed with Reliance Orthodontic Products:

	ETCH Please note the field must be kept very dry. Prophy rinse and dry the buccal/lingual surfaces of involved teeth. Apply Gel Etchant to the full buccal/lingual surfaces of involved teeth. DO NOT etch the entire occlusal. After 30 seconds, suction visible etch from teeth and irrigate thoroughly for 10 seconds each.
	PRIME Desiccate teeth. Apply 1 coat of Assure Plus primer to entire buccal surface and buccal cusp tips of tooth ONLY. DO NOT apply to occlusal or lingual. Air dry for 3 seconds.
	BOND While priming teeth, apply an even layer of Self-Mix Band Lok to tooth side of appliance (dual-tube applicator). Band Lok has a 4 minute working time; do not preload appliance until ready to deliver. Seat appliance to express flash.
	CURE Tack cure flash for 1 second ONLY - this will make all the flash cohesive and allow for single piece removal. Finishing curing from occlusal opening for 30 seconds per involved tooth. Remove isolation and instruct patient to wait for 5 minutes for activating. Self-Mix Band Lok is a dual cure and will always achieve full polymerization.

Mechanical vs Chemical Retention

There are two main ways in which bands are retained on teeth through orthodontic treatment - through mechanical retention and through chemical retention.

Mechanical retention includes both the fit of the band, or the "hugging" of the tooth structure and contours to hold tight, and also the micro-landscape of the bands and teeth that allow cement to hold. Seating traditional bands that are tight cause them to slightly stretch around the tooth, and provide passive tension on the tooth throughout treatment.

Chemical retention includes the bonding reactions at a molecular level that allow the cement to fuse to the band and/or tooth. On highly-etched or highly-porous bands, chemical retention can be very high, with many physical features on which cements can adhere.

Standard bands feature all three types of retention, while SLS 3D bands are missing the tight fit of the band to the tooth. This is because SLS 3D bands are designed to avoid interproximal interference, allowing us to skip the use of spacers, but requiring a different type of hold to ensure retention.

Mechanical and Chemical Retention Summary
	Type of Retention	Description	Found In
*Band fit on tooth*	Mechanical (Macro-retention)	Physical clamping around tooth from the tight fit around tooth shape	Standard bands
*Cement interlocking with band/tooth*	Mechanical (Micro-retention)	Cement flows into microscopic irregularities and holds tight	Standard bands SLS 3D Bands
*Cement bonding to band/tooth*	Chemical	Ionic (glass ionomer) or adhesive monomer (resin) bonding	Standard bands SLS 3D Bands

Cement Comparison

Common cements include glass ionomer and resin-based cements.

Glass Ionomer Cements include options like 3M Ketac, Fuji I, and Fuji Ortho Band.
Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer Cements include options like 3M RelyX and 3M Vitrebond.
Resin Cements include options like Reliance Band-Lok and Reliance Self-Mix Band-Lok.

Glass Ionomers vs Resin Based Cements Summary
	Glass Ionomer	Resin-Based
*Bond to Metal*	Poor chemical bond, but strong mechanical bond on rough surfaces	Strong chemical and mechanical bond, with primers
*Fluoride Release*	Yes - sustained release over time (anti-caries effect)	No - unless modified (rarely used in orthodontics)
*Moisture Tolerance*	High - works in moist field; hydrophilic	Low - requires dry field; hydrophobic
*Strength and Durability*	Moderate - brittle and weaker under tension	High - excellent tensile and shear strength
*Setting Reaction*	Acid-based chemical set (some resin modified glass ionomers are light-curable)	Light-cure or dual-cure polymerization
*Working Time*	Limited, but predictable	Flexible, controlled by light-curing
*Debonding Behavior*	Brittle, shatters or flakes off	Requires polishing
*Use Case Examples*	Cementing traditional bands, pediatric patients, and high caries risk cases	Bonding brackets, bonding lingual retainers, and high-strength needs
*Best for SLS bands?*	SLS bands are highly porous. Too strong, and risky to enamel.	Better, with controlled adhesion

Glass Ionomer Cements:

Bond chemically to tooth enamel through ionic exchange
Bond poorly to stainless steel or chromium cobalt, unless the material is very porous
Have a high risk of over-retention and enamel damage when used on SLS bands

Resin Cements:

Bond mechanically to teeth through micromechanical retention
Bond chemically to teeth through primer/etching
Bond well to stainless steel or chromium cobalt, when used with primer
Require a dry field

We recommend a resin-based cement for bonding 3D Metal. If fluoride release is a concern, as it may be particularly to pediatric patients, we recommend a resin-modified glass ionomer over a glass ionomer.

In particular, we recommend Self-Mix Band-Lok, which:

Features dual polymerization (light-cure and chemical-cure)
Is ideal for bonding in low-light settings, like on posterior bands and molars (traditional Band-Lok is recommended for high-light areas, such as anterior teeth)
Features a high bond strength, regardless of light access
Features excellent penetration into SLS metals, and cures reliably
Is highly recommended as bonding agent for stainless steel

Debonding Procedure

When following the recommended procedure provided by Reliance Orthodontic Products, debonding should not differ from any traditionally banded appliance. Simply use a debonding plier to grasp the band, and apply pressure to remove the appliance. As with any fixed appliance, you may need to vacillate between molars, loosening as you go.

Troubleshooting

While we have consistently good feedback from our many doctors using 3D Metal, we do hear of common issues that are occasionally confusing to experience and resolve. For these items, we recommend the following actions:

Issue	Recommended Resolution
3D Bands are not staying in place	We recommend following the Reliance protocol closely. Common issues with bonding when following this procedure are: 1. Not keeping the field dry. This procedure is very akin to bonding brackets, requiring that the bonding surface is isolated. 2. Using standard Band-Lok, instead of Self-Mix Band Lok. This is the most common issue we see, where offices use the traditional Band-Lok over the self-mixing tube. The standard Band-Lok is light cure only, which can often fail to fully polymerize on 3D appliances; bands will stay in place just long enough for your patient to leave! However, the Self-Mix features a chemical and light cure, ensuring bands lock into place, ensuring the appliances doesn't move until you want it to.
3D Bands can't be easily removed	We recommend following the Reliance protocol closely, as we often see difficulty in removing appliances bonded with glass ionomer cements. If an appliance was bonded with a glass ionomer cement, we recommend attempting to remove the appliance with the standard debonding plier. However, we often find that doctors must use a diamond-disc and handpiece to remove bands bonded in this way.
I don't understand what products I need for bonding	We are happy to send you a sample pack of recommended bonding materials to get started with 3D bands! Simply call the lab at (800) 922-6365 and we'll add it to your next 3D metal case. You can also call Reliance Orthodontic Products directly, and mention that you're receiving 3D Metal bands from NEOLab. They'll have a list of all the required products at the ready. They can be reached at (800) 323-4348.