Tensile strength of thin resin composite layers as a function of layer thickness

As a rule, cast restorations do not allow for free curing contraction of the resin composite luting cement. In a rigid situation, the resulting contraction stress is inversely proportional to the resin layer thickness. Adhesive technology has demonstrated, however, that thin joints may be considerably stronger than thicker ones. To investigate the effects of layer thickness and contraction stress on the tensile strength of resin composite joints, we cured cylindrical samples of a chemically initiated resin composite (Clearfil F2) in restrained conditions and subsequently loaded them in tension. The samples had a diameter of 5.35 mm and thicknesses of 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 microns, 1.4 mm, or 2.7 mm. None of the samples fractured due to contraction stress prior to tensile loading. Tensile strength decreased gradually from 62 +/- 2 MPa for the 50-microns layer to 31 +/- 4 MPa for the 2.7-mm layer. The failures were exclusively cohesive in resin for layers between 50 and 400 microns thick. Between 500 and 700 microns, the failures were cohesive or mixed adhesive/cohesive, while the 1.4- and 2.7-mm layers always failed in a mixed adhesive/cohesive mode. For the resin composite tested, the contraction stress did not endanger the cohesive strength. It was concluded that if adhesion to tooth structure were improved, thinner adhesive joints might enhance the clinical success of luted restorations.