Effect of primers on bonding agent polymerization

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of primers on the polymerization of bonding agent. We measured the degree of conversion (radical production) and mechanical properties (surface hardness and direct tensile strength) of various adhesives/primers mixed at different ratios and the effect of varying the visible-light curing time. With and without primer treatment, the tensile bond strength of adhesive resin to micacious glass ceramic and human enamel was measured. After the tensile bond test, using the Image Capture System, the failure patterns of adhesive resin bonded to micacious glass-ceramic were analysed. The results show that the mixtures containing the higher amounts of primer yielded a lower degree of conversion and inferior mechanical properties when compared with the mixtures containing a lower proportion of primer, except in the experimental bonding system. The adhesive/primer mixtures inhibited free radical polymerization. The value for the Knoop hardness number and the direct tensile strength of the adhesive/primer mixtures were significantly decreased compared with those of the adhesive bonding agent alone with no primer added. The tensile bond strength of adhesive resin bonded to micacious glass-ceramic or human enamel without primer treatment was significantly greater than that of adhesive resin with primer treatment in certain cases. Most of the fractures of ceramic surfaces were cohesive (within resins) and/or interface (at the ceramic surface) failure.