Influence of different cavity disinfectants on composite adhesion to dentin of primary teeth: An in vitro study

Restorative treatment is the most common approach to treating dental caries. However, after cavity preparation, some microorganisms may still persist in the substrate, suggesting the use of cavity disinfectants. Nevertheless, their effect on adhesion to composite resins is not yet fully understood, especially in primary teeth. The study aimed to assess the impact of five different cavity disinfectants on dentin adhesion in primary teeth. A total of 60 primary molars were uniformly flattened at their occlusal thirds and randomly allocated into six groups (n = 10 each): Control; Glutaraldehyde; Chlorhexidine; EDTA; Ethanol; Aloe vera. All disinfectants were actively applied, rinsed, and air-dried. The adhesion procedure was carried out according to the manufacturer's instructions, and the restoration was positioned using a mold. Shear bond strength was evaluated. Data were statistically analyzed (One-way ANOVA with Post-hoc Tukey test), with the level of significance set at 5 %. Glutaraldehyde (14.59 ± 3.89 MPa), Chlorhexidine (11.24 ± 2.25 MPa), and EDTA (11.04 ± 2.95 MPa) did not impair the shear bond strength when compared to the Control group (14.95 ± 2.75 MPa). Ethanol and Aloe vera application significantly lowered SBS. The results suggest that Glutaraldehyde, Chlorhexidine, and EDTA can be used as cavity disinfectants. Nevertheless, further in vitro and clinical research is required.