Bond durability of Er:YAG laser-prepared primary tooth enamel

This study evaluated in vitro the influence of thermocycling and water storage (WS) on the shear bond strength (SBS) of composite resin in cavities prepared in primary tooth enamel with conventional bur or Er:YAG laser. The test surfaces were obtained from 48 primary molars and randomly assigned to 2 groups (n=24), according to cavity preparation: A: bur-preparation and B: Er:YAG laser irradiation. The specimens were restored with an etch-and-rinse adhesive system and composite resin. Each group was divided into 4 subgroups (n=6) according to WS duration and number of thermal cycles (TCs): I: 24 h WS/no thermocycling; II: 7 days WS/500 TCs; III: 1 month WS/2,000 TCs; IV: 6 months WS/12,000 TCs. The specimens were tested to failure in shear strength at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. Data were analyzed statistically by two-way ANOVA and Tukey's test. SBS means (S.D.) in MPa were: AI: 17.45 (2.03), AII:16.38 (1.49), AIII: 6.88 (0.66), AIV: 7.77 (1.53), BI: 12.32 (0.99), BII: 15.37 (2.24), BIII: 15.05 (2.01) and BIV-5.51 (1.01). WS duration and number of TCs influenced significantly the SBS values only for BIV (p<0.05). AI presented the highest SBS value, which was statistically similar to those of AII, BII and BIII. In conclusion, the adhesion of an etch-and-rinse adhesive to Er:YAG laser-irradiated primary tooth enamel was affected by the methods used to simulate degradation of the adhesive interface only when 6 months WS/12,000 TCs were employed.