Standardizing laboratory adhesion tests

Laboratory adhesion tests are performed as screening tests prior to the clinical evaluation of dentin bonding restorative systems. These tests include the determination of the bond strength to dentin and the evaluation of microleakage and marginal gap dimensions at the tooth-restoration interface. No standardized adhesion tests are available as the methodologies vary tremendously from one laboratory to another. The variable factors are reviewed in this manuscript and laboratory studies to standardize these procedures are proposed.