The preservation and restoration of severely weakened pulpless teeth is a difficult and relatively unpredictable procedure. This study evaluated the resistance to fracture of experimentally weakened bovine roots internally reconstructed with different filling materials in combination with prefabricated post compared with restored roots that were relatively intact. The roots of 75 mandibular bovine incisors with similar bulks were selected. Of these, 60 were internally prepared to standardized dimensions, thereby simulating weakness. All roots were filled with different restorative materials. The specimens were submitted to the fracture resistance testing with the application of a tangential compressive loading at an angle of 135 degrees in relation to the long axes of the roots. Results indicated statistically significant differences in relation to the root conditions. Weakened roots were less resistant to fracture than were controls. The roots restored with the resin cement demonstrated the lowest fracture resistance values, but statistically significant differences were observed only when compared with those restored by the resin-modified glass-ionomer cement. Resin-modified glass-ionomer cement, polyacid-modified resin composite and resin composite behaved similarly without statistically significant differences among them. None of the materials evaluated were capable of achieving the fracture resistance recorded for unweakened controls.

he purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of different surface treatments on composite resin on the microtensile bond strength to a luting resin cement. Two laboratory composites for indirect restorations, Solidex and Targis, and a conventional composite, Filtek Z250, were tested. Forty-eight composite resin blocks (5.0 x 5.0 x 5.0mm) were incrementally manufactured, which were randomly divided into six groups, according to the surface treatments: 1-control, 600-grit SiC paper (C); 2-silane priming (SI); 3-sandblasting with 50 µm Al 2 O 3 for 10s (SA); 4-etching with 10% hydrofluoric acid for 60 s (HF); 5-HF + SI; 6 -SA + SI. Composite blocks submitted to similar surface treatments were bonded together with the resin adhesive Single Bond and Rely X luting composite. A 500-g load was applied for 5 minutes and the samples were light-cured for 40s. The bonded blocks were serially sectioned into 3 slabs with 0.9mm of thickness perpendicularly to the bonded interface (n = 12). Slabs were trimmed to a dumbbell shape and tested in tension at 0.5mm/min. For all composites tested, the application of a silane primer after sandblasting provided the highest bond strength means.

Objective:To evaluate the influence of 16% carbamide peroxide (CP) containing different thickeners on the physical characteristics of a nanocomposite resin submitted or not to accelerated artificial aging (AAA).Materials and Methods:One hundred samples were randomly distributed into two groups (n = 50) according to AAA. Each group was divided into 5 subgroups (n = 10) depending on the bleaching/thickener treatment: CP + carbopol, CP + natrosol, carbopol, natrosol, and no treatment (control). The physical properties tested were color (ΔE), gloss (GU), mean roughness (Ra), and Knoop microhardness (KHN). The resin surface was performed with atomic force microscopy (AFM).Statistical Analysis:The color (variable Δ E) was assessed with two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and additionally with Tukey's and Dunnett's tests, the roughness values were submitted to Kruskal–Wallis, Dunn's, and Mann–Whitney's tests. Data on gloss and KHN were submitted to two-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (α = 0.05).Results:Among the physical properties evaluated, CP + carbopol promoted a reduction in composite microhardness only, thus differing statistically from the controls. As for CP + natrosol, such a change was not observed. The aging process reduced all the physical properties, thus differing statistically from the nonaging group. CP + carbopol increased the roughness and decreased the gloss of aged resins, whereas natrosol reduced gloss only, which differed statistically from the controls.Conclusions:AFM showed evidence of the loss of organic matrix and exposure to load particles in the aged samples. Therefore, the replacement of carbopol with natrosol provided maintenance of the composite microhardness following bleaching. The aging process reduced the physical properties evaluated, and some changes were enhanced by the application of bleaching.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of primers, luting systems and aging on bond strength to zirconium oxide substrates. Eighteen zirconia discs (19.5 x 4 mm) were polished and treated (n = 3) either with a MDP primer (Md) or with a MDP and VBATDT primer (MV). In the control group (n = 3) no surface chemical treatment was performed. Zirconia specimens were cemented to prepolymerized composite discs utilizing resin cements - RelyX Unicem or Panavia 21 (RU and Pa, respectively). After 24 h, samples were sectioned for microtensile testing and returned to water at 37 degrees C for two different periods before being tested: 72 h or 60 days + thermocycling (5-55 degrees C/5000 cycles). Bond strength testing was performed at 1 mm/min. Values in MPa were analyzed through ANOVA and Tukey's Studentized Range (HSD) (p > 0.05). The application of MV primer resulted in the highest bond strength (22.77 MPa), statistically superior to Md primer (12.78 MPa), and control groups presented the lowest values (9.17 MPa). When luting systems were compared, RU promoted the highest bond strength (16.07 MPa) in comparison with Pa (13.75 MPa). The average bond strength decrease after aging (9.35 MPa) when compared with initial values (20.46 MPa). The results presented by this in vitro study suggest that a chemical surface treatment based on the MDP and VBATDT combination may improve bond strength between zirconia and luting system, without any previous mechanical treatment, depending on the luting system used. This chemical treatment may result in a reliable alternative to achieve adequate and durable bond strength.

SUMMARY This case report describes the restoration of the anterior dentition with porcelain laminate veneers. The advances in bonding of porcelain to tooth structure make this treatment a feasible alternative to restore teeth with alteration in shape and position in cases in which the esthetic demand is high. The rationale for various choices in this treatment protocol is detailed with reference to the pertinent literature. Thus, the clinical success of the technique depends on the correct identification of a case for which this treatment is appropriate and the successful execution of the clinical steps involved.