Work of adhesion of resin on treated lithia disilicate-based ceramic.

OBJECTIVE: This study is to test the hypothesis that chemical etching and silane coating of a ceramic surface will influence the work of adhesion (WA) of adhesive resin to dental ceramic. METHODS: A hot-pressed lithia disilicate-based ceramic was used as a model material to investigate the influence of probing media and surface treatments on WA using a dynamic contact angle analyzer. Eighty ceramic specimens were randomly divided into eight experimental groups and treated as follows: (1 and 3) as polished; (2 and 4) etched with 9.5% hydrofluoric acid (HF) for 1 min; (5) etched with 4% acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) for 2 min; (6) silane coated; (7) etched with HF for 1 min and silane coated; (8) etched with APF for 2 min and silane coated. Advancing and receding contact angles (theta(a) and theta(r)) were measured using high purity water (gamma = 72.6 mN/m) for groups 1 and 2, and a liquid resin (gamma = 39.7) for groups 3-8 as probing liquids. RESULTS: The liquid resin medium yielded a lower WA than water. Silanization produced a significantly lower WA (p < 0.001) than non-silanated surfaces. Etching alone consistently yielded a greater WA for all surface treatments (p < 0.001). SIGNIFICANCE: The silanated ceramic surface exhibited a lower surface energy and did not enhance bonding to the liquid resin by work of adhesion.