This study investigated the hypothesis that the dentin bond strength of self-etching adhesive (SEA) might be improved by applying additional layer of bonding resin that might alleviate the pH difference between the SEA and the restorative composite resin. Two SEAs were used in this study; Experimental SEA (Exp, pH: 1.96) and Adper Prompt (AP, 3M ESPE, USA, pH: 1.0). In the control groups, they were applied with two sequential coats. In the experimental groups, after applying the first coat of assigned SEAs, the D/E bonding resin of All-Bond 2 (Bisco Inc., USA, pH: 6.9) was applied as the intermediate adhesive. Z-250 (3M ESPE, USA) composite resin was built-up in order to prepare hourglass-shaped specimens. The microtensile bond strength (MTBS) was measured and the effect of the intermediate layer on the bond strength was analyzed for each SEA using t-test. The fracture mode of each specimen was inspected using stereomicroscope and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM). When D/E bonding resin was applied as the second coat, MTBS was significantly higher than that of the control groups. The incidence of the failure between the adhesive and the composite or between the adhesive and dentin decreased and that of the failure within the adhesive layer increased. According to the results, applying the bonding resin of neutral pH can increase the bond strength of SEAs by alleviating the difference in acidity between the SEA and restorative composite resin.
In the unique metal iris method, the developing interfacial gap at the cavity floor resulting from the cavity wall property during polymerizing composite resin might affect the nominal shear bond strength values. The aim of this study is to evaluate that the iris method reduces the cohesive failure in the substrates and the cavity wall property effects on the shear bond strength tests using iris method.
The occlusal dentin of 64 extracted human molars were randomly divided into 4 groups to simulate two different levels of cavity wall property (metal and dentin iris) and two different materials (ONE-STEP® and ALL-BOND® 2) for each wall property. After positioning the iris on the dentin surface, composite resin was packed and light-cured. After 24 hours the shear bond strength was measured at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. Fracture analysis was performed using a microscope and SEM. The data was analyzed statistically by a two-way ANOVA and t-test.
The shear bond strength with metal iris was significant higher than those with dentin iris (p = 0.034). Using ONE-STEP®, the shear bond strength with metal iris was significant higher than those with dentin iris (p = 0.005), but not in ALL-BOND® 2 (p = 0.774). The incidence of cohesive failure was very lower than other shear bond strength tests that did not use iris method.
The iris method may significantly reduce the cohesive failures in the substrates. According to the bonding agent systems, the shear bond strength was affected by the cavity wall property.