Comparative evaluation of different surface pretreatment methods on the depth of penetration of adhesive resin in sandwich technique: A confocal laser scanning microscopy study

Abstract

Abstract Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the depth of penetration of adhesive resin in resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) after different surface pretreatment methods using a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Methods: Class I cavity preparation was done in 45 freshly extracted premolars and divided into three groups, according to the surface pretreatment of RMGIC which was placed in a thickness of 1 mm in the cavity. In the control group, no pretreatment was done, and other two groups were pretreated with acid etching and air abrasion (AA). The fifth-generation dentin bonding agent mixed with rhodamine B dye 0.1% was applied on RMGIC in all the samples and cured for 15 s. Samples were restored using composite resin and sectioned longitudinally. The depth of penetration of adhesive resin was evaluated using CLSM. Results: Depth of penetration of adhesive resin was highest with AA (153.70 ± 10.23), followed by acid etching (122.71 ± 12.25) and control group (77.12 ± 6.37). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this research, AA enhances the depth of penetration of adhesive resin in the RMGIC surface. Thus, AA before placement of composite resin on the RMGIC can be effective in a clinical scenario.