Effects of ArF excimer laser irradiation of dentin on the tensile bonding strength to composite resin

Effect of Cavity Disinfectants on Dentin Bond Strength and Clinical Success of Composite Restorations-A Systematic Review of In Vitro, In Situ and Clinical Studies

Cavity disinfection becomes an important step before a dental restorative procedure. The disinfection can be obtained cleaning the dental cavity with antimicrobial agents before the use of adhesive systems. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review on the effect of different cavity disinfectants on restorations’ adhesion and clinical success. A search was carried out through the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Web of Science. In vitro and in situ studies reporting results on dentin bond strength tests, and clinical studies published until August 2020, in English, Spanish and Portuguese were included. The methodological quality assessment of the clinical studies was carried out using the Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Chlorhexidine could preserve adhesion to dentin. EDTA and ethanol had positive results that should be further confirmed. Given the significant lack of scientific evidence, the use of lasers, fluoridated agents, sodium hypochlorite, or other products as cavity disinfectants should be avoided. Chlorhexidine is a safe option for cavity disinfection with adequate preservation of adhesion to dentin. Moreover, future researches should be focused on the efficacy of these disinfectants against cariogenic bacteria and their best application methods.

Resin-dentin bonding interface after photochemical surface treatment

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to elucidate the structure of the resin-dentin interface formed by photochemical dentin treatment using an argon fluoride (ArF) excimer laser.

BACKGROUND DATA

The ArF excimer laser processes material by photochemical reaction without generating heat, while also providing surface conditioning that enhances material adhesion. In the case of bonding between resin and dentin, we demonstrated in a previous study that laser etching using an ArF excimer laser produced bonding strength comparable to that of the traditional bonding process; however, conditions of the bonding interface have not been fully investigated.

METHODS

A dentin surface was irradiated in air with an ArF excimer laser followed by bonding treatment. Cross sections were observed under light microscope, transmission electron microscope (TEM), and scanning electron microscope, then analyzed using an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDS): EDS line profiles of the elements C, O, Si, Cl, P, and Ca at the resin-dentin interface were obtained.

RESULTS

The density of C in resin decreased as it approached the interface, reaching its lowest level within the dentin at a depth of 2 μm from the resin-dentin interface on EDS. There was no hybrid layer observed at the interface on TEM. Therefore, it was suggested that the resin monomer infiltrated into the microspaces produced on the dentin surface by laser abrasion.

CONCLUSIONS

The monomer infiltration without hybrid layer is thought to be the adhesion mechanism after laser etching. Therefore, the photochemical processes at the bonding interface achieved using the ArF excimer laser has great potential to be developed into a new bonding system in dentistry.