The aim: To study the latest approaches to optimizing the composition and application protocols of modern adhesive systems, which are used during the restoration of defects in hard dental tissues with restorative materials.
Materials and methods: Thirty articles published between January 1, 2020 and February 1, 2023 in the scientific databases PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were selected. The selected scientific works contained the results of laboratory studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses of the physical and mechanical characteristics of adhesive systems with a modified composition or application protocols different from the instructions of the manufacturing companies.
Conclusions: The most promising directions for improving adhesive systems are modifications of the composition and protocols of their use with the aim of deactivating matrix metalloproteinases, improving the structure of the hybrid layer due to the creation of a three-dimensional mesh of collagen fibres with optimal properties, the introduction of antimicrobial agents to slow down the growth of bacterial colonies along the line of the adhesive joint. The available research results of modified adhesive systems are often contradictory, which determines the need to develop standardized test methods to obtain more reliable indicators of their physical, mechanical and biological properties. In some cases, the consequences of non-compliance with the recommendations of the manufacturing companies are a significant deterioration of the characteristics of the hybrid layer, adhesive strength, marginal fit, which, in turn, explains the need for further search for an optimized composition and techniques for applying bonding agents to improve the prognosis of restorative treatment.