Adhesion of composite resin to bleached and unbleached bovine enamel

Cylinders of microfil and small-particle light-cured composite resin were bonded to the flattened labial enamel surface of young bovine incisor teeth which had previously been subjected to four different treatments: (1) teeth immersed in 35% hydrogen peroxide (HP) for 60 min and etched (E) with 37% phosphoric acid gel for 60 sec; (2) teeth immersed in saline (S) for 60 min and E for 60 sec; (3) teeth E for 60 sec and immersed in HP for 60 min; and (4) teeth E for 60 sec, immersed in S for 60 min. Specimens were stored in water at 37 degrees for one and seven days prior to tension- and shear-testing. A total of 256 teeth was tested--eight teeth in each group for each day, for each resin, and for each test. Statistical analysis of the results indicated that there was a highly significant reduction in adhesive bond strength of the resins when the enamel was exposed to HP as compared with S. SEM examination of randomly selected fractured test specimens indicated that this reduction in adhesive bond strength occurred primarily at the bonding resin-enamel interface. Less significant differences in bond strength were noted in the control specimens, with regard to resin type, time of storage, and the etching order.