Dentin-polymer bond mediated by glutaraldehyde/HEMA

A restorative resin was bonded to EDTA-treated dentin by means of a mixture of glutaraldehyde and HEMA. The bond exhibited a tensile strength of 17.5 +/- 1.0 MPa (mean +/- SEM) and was unaffected by water storage at 37 degrees C for up to 6 months. The glutaraldehyde/HEMA mixture was found to be most effective when the pH was between 2 and 5; an application time of 10 s was found to be sufficient for the glutaraldehyde/HEMA mixture as well as for the EDTA-solution.