Effect of self-etching primer vs phosphoric acid etchant on bonding to bur-prepared dentin

This study evaluated the effect of dentin conditioner on tensile bond strength to dentin prepared with different types of burs. A self-etching primer system, Mac-Bond II (MB, Tokuyama Dental) and a phosphoric acid etching system, Single Bond (SB, 3M) were used for conditioning. Twenty-four extracted intact human molars were ground flat to expose occlusal dentin. After the dentin surfaces were polished with #600 SiC paper, the teeth were randomly divided into a control group and three experimental groups according to the bur grits used: #600 SiC paper only as the control, fine cut steel bur (SB600), crosscut steel bur (SB703) and regular grit diamond bur (DB) mounted in a dental handpiece utilizing water cooling. The dentin surfaces were treated with one of two adhesive systems, then composite buildups were done with Clearfil AP-X (Kuraray Medical). After soaking the bond specimens for 24 hours in 37 degrees C water, multiple vertical serial sections (0.7 mm thick, 7-8 slices per one tooth) were made, trimmed to form an hour-glass shape with a 1.0 mm2 cross-section and tensile bond strengths were determined at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/minute. Statistical analysis was made using one and two-way ANOVA and Fisher's PLSD test (p<0.05). Six additional molars were used for SEM observations of the dentin surfaces of each group before and after treatment with the self-etching primer of MB, and another four teeth were used to observe the resin-dentin interface of each group of SB. Using MB, the DB group produced the lowest tensile bond strength (TBS) among the groups that received bur preparation, and there were no statistical differences among SB600, SB703 and the control. For SB, the TBS of SB703 was the highest, and there were no statistical differences among the other groups and the control. The influence of the method used to prepare dentin for micro-tensile bond strength testing was dependent on the adhesive system used.