ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to compare the bond strength to enamel between resin cements combined with total-etch and self-etch adhesive systems and a self-adhesive cement. Eighty bovine incisors had their buccal surface ground flat exposing a plane area in the enamel. Eighty Artglass resin cylinders measuring 3 mm in diameter and 4 mm in height were fabricated. The teeth were divided into eight groups of 10 teeth each and the resin cylinders were cemented with different adhesive systems and resin cements: G1: RelyX Unicem (self-adhesive cement); G2: H3PO4 + Single Bond + RelyX ARC; G3: AdheSE + Variolink II; G4: H3PO4 + Excite + Variolink II; G5: Xeno III + Enforce; G6: H3PO4 + Prime&Bond NT + Enforce; G7: Bistite Primers 1 and 2 + Bistite II DC; G8: H3PO4 + Bistite Primers 1 and 2 + Bistite II DC. After application of the adhesives, the cylinders were cemented according to manufacturer instructions. The specimens were submitted to 2000 thermal cycles at a temperature ranging from 5±5ºC to 55±5ºC, and shear bond strength was then tested at a velocity of 1 mm/min. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and the TukeyÆs test (á=5%), obtaining a p value of 0.00. The following mean (±standard deviation) bond strength values were observed for each group: G1: 5.14(±0.99)a; G3: 16.23(±4.69)b; G7: 17.82(±3.66)b; G5: 18.48(±2.88)bc; G8: 20.15(±4.12)bc; G4: 22.85(±3.08)cd; G2: 24.96(±2.89)d; G6: 26.07(±1.69)d. Groups followed by the same letters did not differ significantly. For most of the resin cements tested, the application of adhesive systems using acid etching resulted in a higher bond strength when compared to the self-etch adhesive systems and to the self-adhesive cement.
