Surface treatment techniques for resin composite repair

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Adhesive Dentistry
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Dental restorations often require repair or re-bonding of fresh composite to aged, polymerized composite.
• Surface treatment is critical for achieving durable bonds between new and old composite materials.
• Evaluating different surface preparation techniques is essential for optimizing clinical outcomes in restorative dentistry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the shear bond strengths of fresh resin composites bonded to aged composite substrates.
• To evaluate the efficacy of various surface treatments, including diamond bur, microetching, air abrasion, and ceramic deposition, on bond strength.
• To determine the influence of silane application on the bond strength following different surface treatments.

Main Methods:

• Eighty specimens of Pertac Hybrid and Silux Plux composites were aged for one week.
• Surface treatments included diamond bur, microetcher with Al2O3, high-pressure air abrasion (KCP), and low-pressure silicate ceramic deposition (CJ-S).
• Half of the treated specimens received a silanating agent before bonding fresh composite, followed by thermocycling and shear bond strength testing.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in bond strength were observed based on surface treatment type and silane application (P < 0.05).
• A significant interaction effect between surface treatment and silane use was noted (P < 0.05).
• The low-pressure silicate ceramic deposition system (CJ-S) yielded the highest shear bond strengths, irrespective of silane application.

Conclusions:

• Low-pressure silicate ceramic deposition (CJ-S) is a highly effective surface treatment for re-bonding resin composites.
• Silane application may not be necessary when using the CJ-S system, simplifying the repair procedure.
• The findings support the use of CJ-S for improving the longevity and success of composite restorations requiring repair.