Effect of dentin surface modification on the microtensile bond strength of self-adhesive resin cements

Purpose: To explore the potential to modify human dentin surface as a means of improving the microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of resin cement to dentin. Materials and Methods: Sound human molars were collected, and their occlusal surfaces were ground flat to expose polished dentin. Indirect composite resin cylinders were cemented to the teeth with RelyX Unicem or G-Cem self-adhesive cements following dentin surface treatments: 6.5% grape-seed extract, 5% glutaraldehyde, or 25% polyacrylic acid and control (no pretreatment). After 24 hours, the teeth were sectioned into beams to produce a cross-sectional area of 1.0 mm². Specimens of each group (n = 25) were individually mounted on a jig and placed on a tensile testing machine. A tensile force was applied to failure at a 1 mm/min crosshead speed. Results: The use of polyacrylic acid on dentin prior to cementation with RelyX Unicem resulted in a statistically significant increase in μTBS compared to the control group (p= 0.0282). Polyacrylic acid (p= 0.0016) or glutaraldehyde (p= 0.0043) resulted in a statistically significant increase in μTBS of G-Cem to dentin when compared to the control group. Treatment with grape-seed extract did not result in a statistically significant increase in μTBS for either cement (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Priming dentin surfaces prior to the use of self-adhesive resin cements may be a promising means of improving μTBS. In addition, it was concluded that the results of this study are material dependent as well as being dependent of the type of dentin primer.