PEEK surface treatment effects on tensile bond strength to veneering resins

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) can be used as a framework material for fixed dental prostheses. However, information about the durable bond to veneering resins is still scarce.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of chemical treatments of PEEK on tensile bond strength (TBS) to veneering resins with special emphasis on surface free energy (SFE) and surface roughness (SR).

Seven-hundred fifty PEEK specimens were fabricated and divided into the following 3 pretreatment groups (n=250/group): etching with sulfuric acid for 60 seconds, etching with piranha acid for 30 seconds, and an unetched control. After pretreatment, SFE was determined by using contact angle measurements and SR with a profilometer (n=10/group). The topography of pretreated PEEK surfaces was examined with scanning electron microscopy. Remaining specimens (n=240 per group) were conditioned with visio.link or Signum PEEK Bond, or were left untreated as the control group. Half of each group was veneered with Sinfony or VITA VM LC (n=40/group), and TBS was measured after storage in distilled water at 37°C for either 24 hours or 60 days. Data were analyzed by 4-way and 1-way ANOVA followed by the Scheffé post hoc test and chi-square test (α=.05).

PEEK specimens etched with sulfuric acid resulted in higher SFE and SR than specimens without pretreatment or etching with piranha acid. Etching with sulfuric acid or piranha acid led to no general recommendations with respect to TBS. Conditioning with visio.link or Signum PEEK Bond significantly increased the TBS (P<.001). PEEK veneered with Sinfony showed significantly higher TBS values than those veneered with VITA VM LC (P<.001).

Sufficient TBS for bonding to veneering resin can only be achieved when additional adhesive materials were applied.