Abstract
Cylinders of a visible-light-cured microfil resin were formed on, and bonded to, the flattened labial enamel surfaces of young bovine incisor teeth which had previously been subjected to four different treatments: (1) immersion in 10% carbamide-peroxide gel, pH 4.7, for three h; (2) immersion in 10% carbamide-peroxide gel, pH 4.7, for six h; (3) immersion in 10% carbamide-peroxide gel, pH 7.2, for three h; and (4) immersion in 10% carbamide-peroxide gel, pH 7.2, for six h. For each experimental group, a control group of resin-bonded to saline-immersed teeth was prepared. In addition, two groups, prepared according to treatment 4, were leached in distilled water for one and seven d, respectively, prior to resin application. Specimens were stored in distilled water at 37°C for seven d prior to shear-bond-strength testing. A total of 90 teeth was tested. Statistical analysis of the results indicated that there was a highly significant reduction in the shear bond strength to carbamide-peroxide-treated enamel as compared with that to saline-treated enamel. The effects of duration of peroxide treatment and pH, as well as the interaction term, were not statistically significant. Leaching of the peroxide-treated enamel in water for either one or seven d prior to resin application restored the adhesiveness of the enamel. Scanning electron microscopic examination of randomly selected, fractured test specimens indicated that the peroxide-induced reduction in enamel adhesiveness was related to alterations in both attachment-surface area at the resin-enamel interface and resin quality.