Bonding mechanism of VariGlass to dentin.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the hypothesis that the new resin-reinforced, light-cured ionomer cement (GIC) can develop mechanical retention by forming a hybrid layer in acid-etched dentin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dentin discs were obtained from extracted human third molars and sanded with 320 SiC abrasive paper. One third of the surface was acid etched with 10% maleic acid for 15 seconds, washed and gently air-dried for 5 seconds. ProBond primer from the VariGlass (VG) GIC kit was applied onto the acid-etched surface (A) and another third of the unetched surface (B) for 30 seconds. One third of the surface was not treated (C). VG GIC was then applied onto the ++entire surface of the disc. After 24 hours the discs were fractured along their diameters. One half of the fractured disc was highly polished at the interface and treated with 6N HCl for 30 seconds while the other half of the fractured specimen was left untreated. Both halves were viewed by SEM. In another part of the study, a micro-tensile bond strength (MTBS) test was carried out to compare the acid-etched group vs. the nonetched group. RESULTS: SEM pictures revealed a well defined demineralized, resin-infiltrated zone approximately 3 micrometers in thickness for group (A) for both fractured and polished surface. Dentin surfaces that only received primer (B) showed an irregular zone 0.5 micrometers thick. Such a resin-infiltrated layer was resistant to HCl treatment. A gap was observed between the GIC and dentin in group (C). Polished interfaces appeared to be highly infiltrated. However, fractured interfaces revealed considerable porosity within the demineralized-infiltrated zone. MTBS results were (X +/- SD, MPa): 28.9 +/- 5.8 for the etched group and 24.5 +/- 4.9 for the nonetched group. This difference was statistically significant.