Does Air Abrasion of Dentin Affect the Bonding Performance of Different Universal Adhesives?

Despite significant advancements in adhesive systems, the bond between tooth-colored restorations and dental hard tissues remains a challenge.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of air abrasion on the bond strength and microleakage of universal adhesives.

Eighty intact third molars were used in this in vitro study. Microtensile bond strength (μTBS) was tested on 32 teeth, and microleakage was assessed on 48 teeth. For μTBS testing, occlusal enamel was removed to expose a flat dentin surface. Standardized Class V cavities were prepared on the buccal and lingual surfaces for the microleakage test. Teeth were randomly divided into four groups according to the universal adhesive system used: All-Bond Universal, G-Premio Bond, G2-Bond Universal, and Clearfil SE Universal Bond. Each group was further split into two subgroups based on whether air abrasion pretreatment was applied. A 4-mm composite resin block (Tetric-N-Ceram, Ivoclar Vivadent) was built on the bonding surface for μTBS, and Class V cavities were restored with the same composite for microleakage evaluation. Then μTBS was measured using a universal testing machine, while microleakage was assessed via dye penetration. Data were analyzed using Tukey and t-tests for μTBS, and the Kruskal-Wallis test for microleakage, with significance set at α = 0.05.

Air abrasion significantly improved μTBS for All-Bond Universal and Clearfil SE Universal Bond (p< 0.001), G-Premio Bond (p= 0.041), and G2-Bond Universal (p= 0.027). However, it did not significantly affect microleakage (p= 0.32).

Pretreating dentin with air abrasion enhances the bond strength of universal adhesives without increasing microleakage, supporting its use in restorative procedures.