The influence of polymerization shrinkage of resin cements on bonding to metal

During the setting of a resin composite cement (RCC) used as an adhesive between a resin-bonded bridge and tooth structure, the adhesion may be disrupted by the development of shrinkage stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the shrinkage stress of three different RCCs on their adhesive and cohesive qualities when bonded to metal surfaces in a rigid set-up. Two opposing parallel NiCr discs (Wiron 77) were mounted in a tensilometer at a mutual distance of 200 microns and cemented with Panavia Ex, Clearfil F2, or Microfill Pontic C. The alloy surfaces were treated by either electrolytic etching, sand-blasting, silane-coating, or tin-plating. During setting, the discs were kept at their original mutual distance to simulate the extreme clinical situation of "complete" rigidity, where the casting and the tooth cannot move toward each other. The developing shrinkage stress was recorded continuously. During setting, the adhesive strength of the RCCs to silane-coated surfaces was always higher than their early cohesive strength. Electrolytically-etched surfaces as well as sand-blasted surfaces showed, in almost all cases, adhesive failure. The tin-plated samples showed mainly adhesive failure at the metal/resin interface. The highest bond strength values were found for silane-coated surfaces in combination with Clearfil F2.