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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of intrapulpal pressure and dentin depth on bond strengths of an etch-and-rinse and a self-etching bonding agent to dentin in vitro and in vivo. Twenty-four pairs of premolars were randomly divided into four groups (n = 6) according to the dentin bonding agent, Single Bond and Clearfil SE Bond, and intrapulpal pressure, null or positive. Each tooth of the pair was further designated to be treated in vivo or in vitro. The intrapulpal pressure was controlled in vivo by the delivery of local anesthetics containing or not a vasoconstrictor, while in vitro, it was achieved by keeping the teeth under hydrostatic pressure. Class I cavities were prepared and the dentin bonding agents were applied followed by incremental resin restoration. For the teeth treated in vitro, the same restorative procedures were performed after a 6 month-storage period. Beams with 1 mm(2) cross-sectional area were prepared and microtensile tested. Clearfil SE Bond was not influenced by any of the variables of the study, while bond strengths produced in vitro were significantly higher for Single Bond. Overall, lower bond strengths were produced in deep dentin, which reached statistical significance when Single Bond was applied under physiological or simulated intrapulpal pressure. In conclusion, in vitro bonding may overestimate the immediate adhesive performance of more technique-sensitive dentin bonding systems. The impact of intrapulpal pressure on bond strength seems to be more adhesive dependent than dentin morphological characteristics related to depth.

Objective:This study evaluated the effect of temperature and curing time on composite sorption and solubility. Material and Methods:Seventy five specimens (8x2 mm) were prepared using a commercial composite resin (ICE, SDI). Three temperatures (10º C, 25º C and 60º C) and five curing times (5 s, 10 s, 20 s, 40 s and 60 s) were evaluated. The specimens were weighed on an analytical balance three times: A: before storage (M1); B: 7 days after storage (M2); C: 7 days after storage plus 1 day of drying (M3). The storage solution consisted of 75% alcohol/25% water. Sorption and solubility were calculated using these three weights and specimen dimensions. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U Tests (α=5%). Results:The results showed that time, temperature and their interaction influenced the sorption and solubility of the composite (p<0.05). At 60º C, the composite sorption showed an inverse relationship with the curing time (p<0.05). The composite cured for 5 s showed higher sorption for the 40 s or 60 s curing times when compared with all temperatures (p<0.05). Curing times of 20 s and 40 s showed similar sorption data for all temperatures (p>0.05). The 60º C composite temperature led to lower values of sorption for all curing times when compared with the 10º C temperature (p<0.05). The same results were found when comparing 10º C and 25º C (p<0.05), except that the 20 s and 40 s curing times behaved similarly (p>0.05). Solubility was similar at 40 s and 60 s for all temperatures (p>0.05), but was higher at 10º C than at 60º C for all curing times (p<0.05). When the composite was cured at 25º C, similar solubility values were found when comparing the 5 s and 10 s or 20 s and 40 s curing times (p>0.05). Conclusion:In conclusion, higher temperatures or longer curing times led to lower sorption and solubility values for the composite tested; however, this trend was only significant in specific combinations of temperature and curing times.

This study evaluated the effect on micro-tensile bond strength (µ-TBS) of laser irradiation of etched/unetched dentin through an uncured self-etching adhesive. Dentinal surfaces were treated with Clearfil SE Bond Adhesive (CSE) either according to the manufacturer's instructions (CSE) or without applying the primer (CSE/NP). The dentin was irradiated through the uncured adhesive, using an Nd:YAG laser at 0.75 or 1 W power settings. The adhesive was cured, composite crowns were built up, and the teeth were sectioned into beams (0.49 mm 2 ) to be stressed under tension. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey statistics (α = 5%). Dentin of the fractured specimens and the interfaces of untested beams were observed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that non-etched irradiated surfaces presented higher µ-TBS than etched and irradiated surfaces (p < 0.05). Laser irradiation alone did not lead to differences in µ-TBS (p > 0.05). SEM showed solidification globules on the surfaces of the specimens. The interfaces were similar on irradiated and non-irradiated surfaces. Laser irradiation of dentin through the uncured adhesive did not lead to higher µ-TBS when compared to the suggested manufacturer's technique. However, this treatment brought benefits when performed on unetched dentin, since bond strengths were higher when compared to etched dentin.

Objectives:To determine the roughness of glass surfaces submitted to different treatments and to correlate it with the spreading velocity of two adhesive systems.Materials and Methods:Glass slides were used as substrates to evaluate the spreading velocity of Single Bond and Prime & Bond NT adhesive systems. Six different surface treatments were compared: 1) no treatment; 2) silanization (SL); 3) sandblasting (SB); 4) SB + SL; 5) 10% hydrofluoric acid treatment (HF); 6) HF + SL. Before and after treatments, surface roughness was measured by a profilometer (Ra, μm). Drop volumes (10 μl) of the adhesive systems were deposited onto substrates with a micropipette to observe materials spreading during 30s. Data were expressed in mm/s as spreading velocity. Statistical significances among groups were analyzed using one-way and two-way-ANOVA designs and the SNK test.Results:Significant differences in spreading velocity were found between materials (p < 0.001) and among treatments (p < 0.001). Silanization decreased the spreading velocity for both adhesives in comparison to groups where it was not performed (p < 0.05). Differences in roughness were found only for SB surfaces that were rougher than the others (p < 0.05). Silanization decreased the roughness of SB surfaces (p < 0.05). Linear regression did not indicate any correlation between spreading velocity and roughness (R = 0.173).Conclusions:Although surface treatments yielded different roughness, they did not provide differences in the spreading velocity of the simplified bonding systems studied. Silanization decreased bonding systems' spreading velocities.

Apart from some questions related to the repairability of resin composite restorations, dentists have always assumed that methacrylate-based resins are compatible with each other. For example, there is no clinically relevant problem in using a microfilled composite to laminate a Class IV restoration made with a hybrid composite, even if they are not of the same brand or manufacturer. In the context of adhesive systems, we have always believed that resin composites, regardless of their type or composition, bond well to all types of bonding agents. However, unexpected debonding of self-cured, core buildup composites that had been bonded with single-bottle adhesive systems was reported about 5 years ago. Subsequent studies demonstrated that there were, indeed, compatibility problems between simplified adhesive systems and self- or dual-cured resin composites. Apparently, when such combinations are used, reduced bond strengths and subsequent failures at the resin-adhesive interface can occur because of adverse reactions between the acidic resin monomers, an integral part of the simplified adhesive systems, and the chemicals involved in the polymerization mechanism of the self- or dual-cured composites, particularly the basic tertiary amines.

Dental composites cured at high temperatures show improved properties and higher degrees of conversion; however, there is no information available about the effect of pre-heating on material degradation. Objectives This study evaluated the effect of pre-heating on the degradation of composites, based on the analysis of radiopacity and silver penetration using scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS).Material and Methods Thirty specimens were fabricated using a metallic matrix (2x8 mm) and the composites Durafill VS (Heraeus Kulzer), Z-250 (3M/ESPE), and Z-350 (3M/ESPE), cured at 25°C (no pre-heating) or 60°C (pre-heating). Specimens were stored sequentially in the following solutions: 1) water for 7 days (60°C), plus 0.1 N sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for 14 days (60°C); 2) 50% silver nitrate (AgNO3) for 10 days (60°C). Specimens were radiographed at baseline and after each storage time, and the images were evaluated in gray scale. After the storage protocol, samples were analyzed using SEM/EDS to check the depth of silver penetration. Radiopacity and silver penetration data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey’s tests (α=5%).Results Radiopacity levels were as follows: Durafill VSZ-350>Z-250 (p<0.05). After storage in water/NaOH, pre-heated specimens presented higher radiopacity values than non-pre-heated specimens (p<0.05). There was a lower penetration of silver in pre-heated specimens (p<0.05).Conclusions Pre-heating at 60°C mitigated the degradation of composites based on analysis of radiopacity and silver penetration depth.

Objetivo: Realizar uma análise comparativa da eficácia de diferentes solventes orgânicos na dissolução do cimento endodôntico MTA Fillapex. Métodos: Foram confeccionados 28 corpos de prova deste cimento, sendo quatro para cada solvente a ser testado. Os solventes utilizados foram clorofórmio, xilol, eucaliptol, citrol, endosolv E e endosolv R. Quatro corpos de prova foram mantidos em água destilada (grupo controle). A perda de peso de cada corpo de prova, expressa como o percentual da massa final em comparação à massa inicial, determinou a solubilidade do MTA Fillapex frente aos diferentes solventes testados. O teste U de Mann-Whitney foi utilizado para comparar os postos médios de solubilidade desses solventes. Resultados: Os solventes endosolv R (0,0065), citrol (0,0072) e eucaliptol (0,0077) resultaram em postos médios de solubilidade semelhantes entre si (p>0,05), todavia distintos (p<0,05) dos demais e menores que os obtidos para o xilol (0,0132), clorofórmio (0,0168) e endosolv E (0,0186). Estes últimos, por sua vez, foram semelhantes entre si (p>0,05). Conclusões: Todos os solventes orgânicos testados apresentaram capacidade de dissolução do MTA Fillapex, sendo o xilol, clorofórmio e endosolv E os mais efetivos.