Effect of dentin primer on shear bond strength of composite resin to moist and dry enamel

The etched enamel-composite resin bond is the most reliable bond known to us. Moisture and dentin primers are the two most important variables that can interfere with this bond. This study investigated the effect of dentin primer on bond strengths of composite resin to moist and dry enamel. One hundred freshly extracted molar teeth were used for shear bond strength testing. The teeth were mounted in phenolic rings with an approximal enamel surface exposed. The exposed enamel surface on each tooth was flattened using 320- 400- and 600-grit silicon carbide papers and etched using 34-38% phosphoric acid gel. The teeth were then divided into 10 groups (n = 10). Four groups were assigned to each of the two dentin bonding systems, Scotchbond Multi-Purpose and OptiBond FL. Two groups were assigned to the single-bottle bonding agent (Single Bond). Each bonding system was tested on moist and dry enamel. OptiBond FL and Scotchbond MP were tested with and without the use of primer. All samples were thermocycled and tested in shear. Fracture analysis was performed using a binocular microscope. For scanning electron microscopy, approximal samples of enamel (1 mm thick) were flattened, etched, and bonded with and without primer on moist and dry enamel. A 1 mm-thick layer of Z100 was bonded to the specimens, which were then immersed in 10% HCl for 24 hours to dissolve the enamel. The specimens were viewed under a scanning electron microscope. Results indicated that the use of primer on dry enamel did not significantly affect (P > 0.05) shear bond strengths for the two bonding systems, Scotchbond MP (primed 24.10 +/- 4.83 MPa, unprimed 29.57 +/- 7.49 MPa) and OptiBond FL (primed 26.82 +/- 4.44, unprimed 25.66 +/- 2.95). However, the use of primer was found to be essential on moist enamel to obtain acceptable bond strengths with both Scotchbond MP (primed 25.61 +/- 10.29 MPa, unprimed 3.26 +/- 0.95 MPa) and OptiBond FL (primed 30.28 +/- 3.49 MPa, unprimed 8.37 +/- 3.31 MPa). Moisture on enamel did not significantly affect (P > 0.05) bond strengths for the single-bottle bonding agent, Single Bond (moist enamel 31.34 +/- 9.03 MPa, dry enamel 27.93 +/- 5.41 MPa). Fracture analysis revealed that most fractures were adhesive or mixed, with a greater percentage being cohesive for the groups with dry enamel or with primer on moist enamel. Scanning electron micrographs corroborated the shear bond strength data. The specimens without primer on moist enamel showed very poor penetration of adhesive and composite resin into the etched enamel microporosities.