Bonding performance and interfacial characteristics of short fiber-reinforced resin composite in comparison with other composite restoratives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the shear bond strength (SBS) and surface free-energy (SFE) of short fiber-reinforced resin composite (SFRC), using different adhesive systems, in comparison with other composite restoratives. The resin composites used were everX Posterior (EP), Clearfil AP-X (CA), and Filtek Supreme Ultra Universal Restorative (FS). The adhesive systems used were Scotchbond Multi-Purpose (SM), Clearfil SE Bond (CS), and G-Premio Bond (GB). Resin composite was bonded to dentin, and SBS was determined after 24 h of storage in distilled water and after 10,000 thermal cycles (TCs). The SFEs of the resin composites and the adhesives were determined by measuring the contact angles of three test liquids. The SFE values and SFE characteristics were not influenced by the type of resin composite, but were influenced by the type of adhesive system. The results of this study suggest that the bonding performance and interfacial characteristics of SFRC are the same as for other composite restoratives, but that these parameters are affected by the type of adhesive system. The bonding performance of SFRC was enhanced by thermal cycling in a manner similar to that for other composite restoratives.