Efficacy of different adhesive techniques on bonding to root canal walls: an SEM investigation

Recently, several adhesives have been proposed for bonding fiber posts into root canals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of four adhesive procedures in resin tag, adhesive lateral branch and resin dentin interdiffusion zone (RDIZ) formation when used to bond fiber posts.

Forty anterior teeth, extracted for periodontal reasons and endodontically treated, were selected for this study. The samples were randomly divided into four groups of ten samples each. Group 1: One Step applied with the small brush provided by the manufacturer and LC (Light-cured before resin cement application)+Dual Link resin cement; Group 2: One Step applied with a thin microbrush LC+Dual Link resin cement; Group 3: One Step applied with a small brush (Not light-cured)+Dual Link resin cement; Group 4: All Bond 2+C & B resin cement (as control). In Group 2 and 4 the adhesive system and resin cement were used strictly following manufacturers' instructions. In Group 1, One Step was applied using a thin microbrush, while in the other groups by a small brush. In Group 1 and 2 the priming-adhesive solution of the "one-bottle" system was light-cured before placing the resin cement and the post, whereas in Group 3 the adhesive/resin cement combination was light cured through the translucent post. Forty translucent posts (RTD, France) were used. A week later, the root samples were processed for SEM observations.

Microscopic examination of restored interfaces of Group 1 showed a higher % (P<0.05) of RDIZ than those found in samples of Group 2, 3 and 4. In Group 2, 3 and 4 samples RDIZ morphology was well detectable and uniform in the first two thirds of root canals while in the apical third the RDIZ was not uniformly present. No statistically significant differences were found among the groups coronally, whereas apical and middle thirds of Group 1 showed significantly more resin tags than the other three Groups. In the apical third of Group 2, 3 and 4 samples, the resin tags showed a less uniform morphology and a shorter length than those found in the other two thirds.

A microbrush might clinically be used for bonding fiber posts into the root canal. When a microbrush was used, the bonding mechanism created between root canal dentin and bonding system was uniform along canal walls and more predictable.