Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 26, 2026

Quasistatic Mechanical Testing for Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing Occlusal Veneers Cemented to Milled Dentin Analog Material
Published on: December 20, 2024
Comparison of shear bond strength of self-etch and self-adhesive cements bonded to lithium disilicate, enamel and
Unlabelled:
Comparison of shear bond strength of self-etch and self-adhesive cements bonded to lithium disilicate, enamel and dentin.
Aims:
With several self-adhesive resin cements currently available, there is confusion about which product and technique is optimal for bonding ceramic restorations to teeth. The objective of this study was to compare the shear bond strength of lithium disilicate cemented to enamel and dentin using 5 adhesive cements.
Materials And Methods:
100 lithium disilicate rods were pretreated with 5% hydrofluoric acid, silane, and cemented to 50 enamel and 50 dentin surfaces using five test cements: Variolink II (etch-and-rinse) control group, Clearfil Esthetic (two step self-etch), RelyX Unicem, SpeedCEM, and BifixSE (self-adhesive). All specimens were stored (37 degrees C, 100% humidity) for 24 hours before testing their shear bond strength using a universal testing machine (Instron). Debonded surfaces were observed under a low-power microscope to assess the location and type of failure.
Results:
The highest bond strength for both enamel and dentin were recorded for Variolink II, 15.1MPa and 20.4MPa respectively, and the lowest were recorded for BifixSE, 0.6MPa and 0.9MPa respectively. Generally, higher bond strengths were found for dentin (7.4MPa) than enamel (5.3MPa). Tukey's post hoc test showed no significant difference between Clearfil Esthetic and SpeedCem (p = 0.059), Unicem and SpeedCem (p = 0.88), and Unicem and BifixSE (p = 0.092). All cements bonded better to lithium disilicate than to enamel or dentin, as all bond failures occurred at the tooth/adhesive interface except for Variolink II.
Conclusions:
Bond strengths recorded for self-adhesive cements were very low compared to the control "etch and rinse" and self-etch systems. Further improvements are apparently needed in self-adhesive cements for them to replace multistep adhesive systems.
Clinical Implications:
The use of conventional etch and rinse cements such as Veriolink II should be preferred for cementing all ceramic restorations over self-adhesive cements until the bond strengths are improved.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Bonding and Strength of Aggregate
Chemical Bonds
Atoms participate in a chemical bond formation to acquire a completed valence-shell electron configuration similar to that of the noble gas nearest to it in atomic number. Ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds are some of the important types of chemical bonds. Bond energy and bond length determine the strength of a chemical bond.
Types of Chemical Bonds
An ionic bond is formed due to electrostatic attraction between cations and anions. Often, the ions are formed by the transfer of electrons...
Bonding in Metals
Ionic Bonding and Electron Transfer
Strength of Cement
For compressive strength tests, ASTM C 109-05 standards prescribe a cement-sand mix ratio of 1:2.75 and a water/cement ratio of 0.485 for making 2-inch cubes. These cubes are mixed, cast, and cured in saturated lime water at 23°C until testing. Flexural strength testing, outlined in...
Ionic Bonds
When atoms gain or lose electrons to achieve a more stable electron configuration they form ions. Ionic bonds are electrostatic attractions between ions with opposite charges. Ionic compounds are rigid and brittle when solid and may dissociate into their constituent ions in water. Covalent compounds, by contrast, remain intact unless a chemical reaction breaks them.
Opposing Charges Hold Ions Together in Ionic Compounds
Ionic bonds are reversible electrostatic interactions between ions...

