There is concern that the use of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and RC-Prep may lower the bond strength of resin cements. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of 5% NaOCl and RC-Prep treatment on the bond strength of a resin cement, C&B Metabond. Control roots (group 1) were biomechanically prepared using 0.9% NaCl as an irrigant; group 2, roots with 5% NaOCl; group 3, roots with RC-Prep; group 4, roots with 0.9% NaCl followed by 10% ascorbic acid; group 5, roots with 5% NaOCl followed by 10% ascorbic acid (pH 4); group 6, roots with 5% NaOCl followed by 10% neutral sodium ascorbate; and group 7, roots with RC-Prep followed by 10% ascorbic acid. All roots were then filled with C&B Metabond, incubated in water for 24 h, and then cross-sectioned into six 1-mm thick slabs representing cervical and middle root dentin. The slabs were trimmed and tested for tensile bond strength. The results demonstrated that both 5% NaOCl and RC-Prep produced significantly (p < 0.05) large reductions in resin-dentin bond strengths, and the reductions could be completely reversed by the application of either 10% ascorbic acid or 10% sodium ascorbate.

It is thought that increasing the strength of the dentin matrix using crosslinking agents may improve both the strength and the durability of resin-dentin bonds. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of two collagen crosslinking agents (glutaraldehyde, GD and grape seed extract, GSE) on the modulus of elasticity of demineralized dentin. Sound molar fragments were fully demineralized and divided into five groups according to the type and concentration of crosslinking agents: 2.5% GD; 5% GD, 25% GD; 0.65% GSE; 6.5% GSE. Specimens were immersed in their respective solution and tested at baseline, 10 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h. The elastic modulus of dentin was significantly affected by the treatment (p < 0.01) and exposure time (p < 0.01). There was a statistically significant interaction between the two factors evaluated (treatment vs. time p < 0.01). Mean baselines values varied between 4.8 and 6.2 MPa in water; after 4 h of treatment the values increased between 34.9 and 242.5 MPa, that were treatment time and agent dependent. The use of these collagen crosslinkers to increase the stiffness of demineralized dentin, was both concentration and time dependent.

The purpose of this study was to determine if hydrophobic resins can be coaxed into dentin wet with ethanol instead of water. The test hypothesis was that dentin wet with ethanol would produce higher bond strengths for hydrophobic resins than would dentin wet with water. This study examined the microtensile bond strength of 5 experimental adhesives (50 wt% ethanol/50% comonomers) of various degrees of hydrophilicity to acid-etched dentin that was left moist with water, moist with ethanol, or air-dried. Following composite buildups, hourglass-shaped slabs were prepared from the bonded teeth for microtensile testing. For all 3 types of dentin surfaces, higher bond strengths were achieved with increased resin hydrophilicity. The lowest bond strengths were obtained on dried dentin, while the highest bond strengths were achieved when dentin was bonded moist with ethanol. Wet-bonding with ethanol achieved higher bond strengths with hydrophobic resins than were possible with water-saturated matrices.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) bound to dentin matrices are activated during adhesive bonding procedures and are thought to contribute to the progressive degradation of resin-dentin bonds over time. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in mechanical, biochemical and structural properties of demineralized dentin treated with or without chlorhexidine (CHX), a known MMP-inhibitor. After demineralizing dentin beams in EDTA or phosphoric acid (PA), the baseline modulus of elasticity (E) of each beam was measured by 3-point flexure. Specimens were pretreated with water (control) or with 2% CHX (experimental) and then incubated in artificial saliva (AS) at 37°C for 4 weeks. The E of each specimen was remeasured weekly and, the media was analyzed for solubilized dentin collagen at first and fourth week of incubation. Some specimens were processed for electron microscopy (TEM) immediately after demineralization and after 4 weeks of incubation. In EDTA and PA-demineralized specimens, the E of the control specimens fell (p<0.05) after incubation in AS, while there were no changes in E in the CHX-pretreated specimens over time. More collagen was solubilized from PA-demineralized controls (p<0.05) than from EDTA-demineralized matrices after 1 or 4 weeks. Less collagen (p<0.05) was solubilized from CHX-pretreated specimens demineralized in EDTA compared to PA. TEM examination of control beams revealed that prolonged demineralization of dentin in 10% PA (12 h) did not denature the collagen fibrils.