Chemistry of novel and contemporary resin-based dental adhesives

Abstract The chemistry of resin-based dental adhesives is critical for its interaction with dental tissues and long-term bonding stability. Changes in dental adhesives composition influences materials’ key physical-chemical properties, such as rate and degree of conversion, water sorption, solubility, flexural strength and modulus, and cohesive strength and improve the biocompatibility to the dental tissues. Maintaining a suitable reactivity between photoinitiators and monomers is important for optimal properties of adhesive systems, in order to enable adequate polymerisation and improved chemical, physical and biological properties. The aim of this article is to review the current state-of-the-art of dental adhesives, approaching its chemical composition and characteristics that influences polymerisation reaction and subsequently materials properties and performance.