Effect of silica coating combined to a MDP-based primer on the resin bond to Y-TZP ceramic

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of silica coating and 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP)-based primer applications upon the bonding durability of a MDP-based resin cement to a yttrium stabilized tetragonal zirconia (Y-TZP) ceramic. Ninety-six Y-TZP tabs were embedded in an acrylic resin (free surface for adhesion: 5 × 5 mm(2)), ground finished and randomly divided into four groups (N = 24) according to the ceramic surface conditioning: (1) cleaning with isopropanol (ALC); (2) ALC + phosphoric acid etching + MDP-based primer application (MDP-primer); (3) silica coating + 3-methacryloyloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (MPS)-based coupling agent application (SiO2 + MPS-Sil); and (4) SiO2 + MDP-primer. The MDP-based resin cement was applied on the treated surface using a cylindrical mold (diameter= 3 mm). Half of the specimens from each surface conditioning were stored in distilled water (37 °C, 24 h) before testing. Another half of the specimens were stored (90 days) and thermo-cycled (12,000 x) during this period (90 d/TC) before testing. A shear bond strength (SBS) test was performed at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. Two factors composed the experimental design: ceramic conditioning strategy (in four levels) and storage condition (in two levels), totaling eight groups. After 90 d/TC (Tukey; p < 0.05), SiO2 + MDP-primer (24.40 MPa) promoted the highest SBS. The ALC and MDP-primer groups debonded spontaneously during 90 d/TC. Bonding values were higher and more stable in the SiO2 groups. The use of MDP-primer after silica coating increased the bond strength.