The effect of surface conditioning techniques on the shear bond strength of zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate ceramic following adhesive cementation - An in vitro study

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different surface conditioning techniques on the bond strength between zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate (ZLS) ceramics and resin cement.

Fifty samples of ZLS ceramic were used and allotted into five groups with 10 samples per group based on the type of surface conditioning technique. The ceramic specimens were crystallized and embedded into acrylic resin. The five groups were group 1 (negative control-without surface treatment); group 2 (10% hydrofluoric [HF] acid + silanization); group 3 (10% HF acid only); group 4 (self-etching ceramic primer [SECP]); and group 5 (experimental laboratory sealing of the conditioned surface). Resin cylinders were bonded using self-adhesive resin cement and were subjected to thermocycling after 24 h storage. The shear bond strength was tested with a universal testing machine.

One-way ANOVA was used for comparing five groups (P < 0.05 was considered significant).

Group 4 showed the highest mean bond strength value (23.4 MPa ± 2.21 MPa). A statistically significant difference was noted between group 4 and all the other groups tested in the study (P < 0.05).

It can be concluded that the SECP can be considered an alternative to the conventional protocol of HF acid and silane application for the surface conditioning of ZLS ceramic.