A laboratory study of the Amalgambond Adhesive System

The shear bond strengths (SBS) of the Amalgambond Adhesive System to several substrates were determined in vitro. Ninety extracted human permanent first and second molars were used. In 30 teeth, the occlusal surfaces were ground wet on 600-grit SiC to expose the enamel and in 60 to expose the superficial dentin. Amalgam (Tytin) restorations were placed on 15 exposed dentin surfaces and sandblasted. The Metafil-A composite was transferred in three increments and each cured for 30 seconds. The SBS of the composite to enamel were determined 1 minute (A) and 24 hours after final cure (B); to dentin 1 minute (C) and 24 hours after final cure (D); of freshly mixed amalgam to dentin (E) and to previously placed amalgam (F) after 24 hours. All of the 24 hours specimens were stored in saline at 37 degrees C or 24 hours. A shear load was applied to the base of the bonded cylinders with a knife-edged rod in an Instron machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The SBS were expressed in MPa and the data analyzed by Student t-test, ANOVA and Student-Newman-Keuls test. The mean +/- SD of SBS were: A: 8.15 +/- 1.74; B: 15.69 +/- 4.50; C: 6.64 +/- 1.72; D: 17.09 +/- 4.61; E: 5.10 +/- 1.73; F: 6.54 +/- 3.78. The SBS to enamel and to dentin, respectively, after 24 hours were significantly greater than after 1 minute (P = 0.0001), the SBS of A vs C (P = 0.1783), B vs D (P = 0.2180) and E vs F (P = 0.7149) were not significantly different.