Effects of remaining dentin thickness, smear layer and aging on the bond strengths of self-etch adhesives to dentin

This study evaluated the effects of remaining dentin thickness (RDT), different smear layers, and aging on the microtensile bond strength (µTBS) of universal adhesives to dentin when applied in self-etch mode. Ninety-six human third molars were randomly allocated to 12 groups (n=8) based on adhesives: ClearfilTM SE Bond 2 (SE, control), ClearfilTM Universal Bond (CU) and ScotchBondTM Universal Adhesive (SB); smear layers: prepared either with 600-grit SiC paper (P) or regular diamond bur (B); and aging: stored in distilled water at 37oC for 24 hours (24h) or 1 year (1y). µTBS was significantly affected by the type of adhesives, smear layers, and aging (p 0.05). RDT, smear layer types, and aging can influence the bonding performances of universal adhesives when applied in self-etch mode.