The effect of short-term calcium hydroxide treatment on dentin bond strengths to composite resin

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) treatment on the bond strengths to dentin of a resin-based composite material. Two distinct dental adhesives, Prime & Bond (P&B) NT and Single Bond (SB) were used. One hundred and twenty-seven bovine incisors were mounted in acrylic, ground flat to expose middle dentin, polished to 600-grit, and randomly assigned to 10 groups: (i) 0 days, no Ca(OH)2, P&B NT; (ii) 7 days, no Ca(OH)2, P&B NT; (iii) 7 days, Ca(OH)2, P&B NT; (iv) 30 days, no Ca(OH)2, P&B NT; (v) 30 days, Ca(OH)2, P&B NT; (vi) 0 days, no Ca(OH)2, SB; (vii) 7 days, no Ca(OH)2, SB; (viii) 7 days, Ca(OH)2, SB; (ix) 30 days, no Ca(OH)2, SB; (x) 30 days, Ca(OH)2, SB. All specimens were stored in an incubator at 37 degrees C. Specimens were then retrieved and the dentin surface was rinsed with air/water spray from a triple syringe. Dentin was etched with 37% phosphoric acid (PA) for 15 s, rinsed, blot dried, and coated with adhesive according to manufacturer's instructions. The adhesive was light cured for 10 s, and Filtek Z250 was applied to the surface with a #5 gelatin capsule and light cured for 160 s. Shear bond strengths were measured for each specimen in an Instron unit at a cross-head speed of 0.5 mm min(-1). The data were subjected to anova and Duncan post-hoc tests. Mean shear bond strengths for P&B NT ranged from 8.02 to 11.79 MPa. There was no significant difference between P&B NT groups treated with or without Ca(OH)2 at any time interval. Mean shear bond strengths for SB ranged from 14.70 to 19.54 MPa. No significant difference was found between SB groups treated with or without Ca(OH)2 at 7 days. At 30 days, SB with Ca(OH)2 was significantly higher than SB without Ca(OH)2. Short-term Ca(OH)2 treatment had no detrimental effect on dentin bond strengths to the ethanol or acetone-based adhesive resin systems tested.