Effect of bonding systems on post-operative sensitivity from posterior composites

To compare post-operative sensitivity from posterior composites lined with bonding systems that utilize either a self-etching primer or phosphoric acid conditioner.

Occlusal cavities on homologous contralateral posterior teeth in 28 selected subjects were lined with either One-Step Plus (a bonding system that utilizes phosphoric acid conditioner) or Clearfil SE Bond with a self-etching primer, and then restored with a hybrid resin composite. Post-operative sensitivity was assessed subjectively by asking the patient to classify pain from the restored tooth into none, mild or severe; and objectively by measuring the time it took for the patient to feel cold sensation when standardized ice stick was placed against the mid-buccal surface of the tooth.

Subjective assessment showed that post-operative sensitivity was mild with either of the bonding systems; and marginal homogeneity test showed no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of post-operative sensitivity (P> 0.05), although there was a trend towards decreasing sensitivity with Clearfil SE Bond as post-operative period increased (P= 0.027). In the objective assessment, repeated measures of ANOVA showed that cold response measurements increased significantly with postoperative period only in the teeth lined with Clearfil SE Bond (P< 0.05), indicating decreasing post-operative sensitivity. However, paired t-test showed no significant difference between the cold response measurements obtained for the two bonding systems (P> 0.05).