Ferric Oxalate with Nitric Acid as a Conditioner in an Adhesive Bonding System

Abstract Stron adhesive bonding of composite resins to dentin and enamel is obtained by conditioning the surface and applying adhesion-promoting compounds. This study examines tensile adhesive bond strengths and effects of the conditioners having various concentrations of ferric oxalate (FO) and nitric acid. In the first part of this study, the average tensile bond strengths increased with concentrations of commercial FO as received up to about 6.8% and averaged no higher with higher concentrations. After this part of the testing had been completed, it was discovered that the FO as received contained a small amount of nitric acid. Use of solutions having from 6.8% to 20% ferric oxalate as received yielded bonds with strengths that averaged about 13 MPa psi) to dentin and 16 MPa (2,400 psi) to enamel. In the second part of this study, the FO was stripped of the fortuitous nitric acid and, based on results from the first part of this study, solutions were made up to contain a fixed concentration of purified...