Parameters affecting in vitro bond strength of composites to enamel and dentin

In vitro tensile bond strengths of Photo Clearfil Bright (PB) and Clearfil Photo Posterior (CP) with Clearfil Photo Bond to human enamel and dentin were determined by a truncated cone bond test. Parameters tested were: four substrates (etched enamel; unetched dentin, D1; dentin conditioned with 10% polyacrylic acid, D2; and dentin etched with phosphoric acid, D3); two techniques (bonding agent prepolymerized, and bonding agent and composite polymerized together); and two storage times in 37 degrees C water (one day and one week). Bond strengths of PB and CP to enamel ranged from 15 to 25 MN/m2 and 19 to 24 MN/m2, respectively. Bond strengths of PB to dentin ranged from 10.2 to 13.6 MN/m2 for D1, 8.2 to 10.5 MN/m2 for D2, and 5.5 to 7.8 MN/m2 for D3. Bond strengths of CP to dentin ranged from 7.6 to 12.3 MN/m2 for D1, 6.8 to 9.5 MN/m2 for D2, and 4.6 to 6.7 MN/m2 for D3. Bond strengths were higher to enamel than to dentin. The highest bond strengths to dentin were to unetched dentin, followed by conditioned dentin, and then etched dentin. Polymerization techniques and storage times did not affect the bond strengths.