Effects of polyvalent alcohol solutions as dentine primers

The purpose of this study was to examine the bonding effect of polyvalent alcohols as dentine primers without a methacrylate group, which may cause contact dermatitis.

The efficacy of polyvalent alcohols as dentine primers was estimated by measuring the wall-to-wall polymerization contraction gap width of a light-activated resin composite filled in a cylindrical dentine cavity in an extracted human tooth. A dentine cavity was cleaned with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and primed with an aqueous solution of either ethylene glycol, glycerol, erythritol, xylitol or sorbitol at concentrations of between 25 and 75 wt%. A light-cured resin composite was filled after the application of a commercial dual-cured bonding agent.

Contraction gap formation was completely prevented only in the group in which the dentine cavity had been primed with an aqueous solution of 62.5% wt% ethylene glycol. Furthermore, in the measurement of a tensile bond strength to a flat dentine surface, high tensile bond strength (17.5 +/- 4.4 MPa) was observed in the group that was primed with 62.5% ethylene glycol solution.

These results suggest that it is not necessary to dissolve methacrylates in a dentine primer when the primer is dried with a blast of compressed air before application of a polymerizable, suitable bonding agent. It is concluded that a dentine primer composed of polyvalent alcohol solutions without a methacrylate group which may cause contact dermatitis, is effective as a dentine primer, affects the dentine surface, and promotes the efficacy of the dentine bonding system.