An accelerated in vitro model for adhesive testing.

PURPOSE: To develop a pilot in vitro accelerated laboratory testing protocol for assessing marginal sealing capability of dental adhesives. METHODS: Occlusal cavities were prepared in 20 human molar teeth and restored with Spectrum TPH resin composite. Prime & Bond NT and Prompt L-Pop served as the adhesive for eight teeth each. An experimental self-etching adhesive system was used on the remaining four teeth. Each specimen was subjected in sequential fashion to the following challenges: 400,000 wear cycles in a Leinfelder simulator; 5000 thermocycles between water baths maintained at 5 degrees C and 55 degrees C with a dwell time of 40 seconds in each; and a repetition of the 400,000 wear cycles. Polyvinyl siloxane impressions were made at baseline and after each challenge. Microleakage was assessed following silver nitrate staining and marginal degradation was evaluated using light microscopy and the stone casts made from the impressions taken during the project. RESULTS: Microleakage analysis yielded the following median leakage values: Prime & Bond NT - 0; Prompt L-Pop - 1; and experimental self-etching adhesive - 3. The Wilcoxon sign rank test demonstrated significant differences between all three adhesives (P < or = 0.05). Evaluation of the stone casts demonstrated that marginal gaps were more prevalent after the second wear challenge.