Aim: To evaluate and compare the effect of different recycling methods on the tensile bond strength of metal brackets.

Materials and method: In this study, 52 new metal brackets were bonded to the premolar teeth and were later divided into 4 groups. Group I, II, III were the experimental groups wherein the brackets were debonded and recycled using 3 different methods: (I) using burning method, (II) using burning + sandblasting method, (III) using burning + sandblasting + silane coupling agent application. Group IV was the control group. The recycled brackets were rebonded, and final debonding of all the brackets including the control group brackets was performed using universal testing machine at the cross-head speed of 1mm/min and the tensile bond strength was determined.

Results: The highest tensile bond strength was obtained with Group IV (8.62±2.80 MPa), followed by Group II (8.58±1.41 Mpa) and Group III (7.83±1.10 MPa), and the least value was obtained with Group I (7.30±1.39).