Microleakage of composite restorations bonded with three new dentin bonding agents

This report evaluates the impact of two dentin bonding techniques on microleakage of Class V restorations bonded with three new dentin bonding systems. Forty-eight extracted human premolar and molar teeth were randomly assigned to four groups for bonding with EBS Bonding System (ESPE, Seefeld, Germany); Syntac Single-Component (Ivoclar-Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein); Scotchbond 1 (3M Dental Products, St. Paul, Minnesota); and a control, Prime and Bond 2.1 (Dentsply, DeTrey, Konstanz, Germany). Cavities were cut in both the buccal and lingual surfaces. The coronal half of each preparation was in enamel, and the gingival half was in cementum or dentin. The cavities were restored with composite after the application of dentin bonding agents, using two different drying techniques for each material. The teeth were stored in distilled water for 6 days at 37 degrees C and then thermocycled. The restorations were examined microscopically for leakage, using Procion brilliant red as a marker. All groups showed microleakage at both the enamel and dentin margins. At the gingival margin, there was no significant difference between any of the experimental materials and the control for either wet bonding (Kruskal-Wallis: p = .8920) or dry bonding (Kruskal-Wallis: p .9973); or between the two techniques for each material (Mann-Whitney U in all cases p > .05). Scanning electron microscopic examination confirmed that the zones of microleakage, as indicated by dye penetration, were principally resincohesive failures within the collagen-rich hybrid layer. Three water-based bonding agents were unable to prevent microleakage at either the enamel or dentin margins of Class V cavities regardless of which bonding technique was employed. All systems behaved equally.