Universal dental adhesives: Current status, laboratory testing, and clinical performance

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dental Materials Research
• Adhesive Dentistry

Background:

• The development of Universal Adhesives (UAs) aims to simplify dental procedures and enhance compatibility with diverse restorative materials.
• Manufacturers claim UAs offer universal application across various adhesion strategies and substrates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and synthesize existing literature on the current status of Universal Adhesives.
• To evaluate the adhesion potential of UAs to different substrates and their performance in restorative dentistry.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted in Medline and EMBASE databases.
• Included studies comprised 272 in vitro studies and 11 clinical studies, identified through controlled vocabulary and keyword searches.

Main Results:

• Current evidence indicates that UAs cannot be universally applied with all adhesion strategies.
• While UAs achieve chemical bonding to various dental and restorative substrates, bond stability is material-dependent and susceptible to degradation.
• Long-term durability and clinical performance data for UAs remain insufficient.

Conclusions:

• The versatility claims of Universal Adhesives are not fully supported by current laboratory and clinical evidence.
• Additional measures are necessary to ensure the long-term durability of UA bonds.
• The lack of extensive long-term clinical data hinders informed clinical decision-making regarding UA use.