The efficacy of different sealer removal protocols on the microtensile bond strength of adhesives to a bioceramic sealer-contaminated dentin.

Abstract

The optimal bonding of adhesives to dentin requires the sealer to be completely removed from the dentinal walls. This study compared the efficacy of different sealer removal protocols on the microtensile bond strengths (MTBS) of single-step adhesives to a calcium silicate-based bioceramic root canal sealer-contaminated dentin. Standardized box-shaped Class I cavities were prepared in human lower third molars (N = 50). All cavities were contaminated with a bioceramic root canal sealer (Endosequence BC Sealer, Brasseler, Savannah, USA), except the control group (G1) cavities. For the experimental groups, contaminated dentin surfaces were wiped with a dry cotton pellet (G2), wiped with a cotton pellet saturated with water (G3), rinsed with the air/water spray (G4), and passively applied aqueous ultrasonic energy with an ultrasonic scaler (G5) before the restoration procedure. All the cavity surface was restored with a one-bottle universal adhesive and composite resin. All the specimens were subjected to both thermocycling (2,500 thermal cycles from 5 to 55°C, with a 30-s dwelling time and a 10-s transfer time) and mechanical loading (50 N load for 100,000 cycles). The restored specimens were sectioned into resin-dentin beams for MTBS evaluation. Additional specimens were prepared for the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the dentin-adhesive interface (n = 10). No significant difference was found between the mean bond strengths of the groups. In SEM examination, no residual sealer was found in any group. Calcium silicate-based bioceramic sealer was removed from the dentin surface with all removal protocols when evaluated with MTBS after the thermal and mechanical cycle tests.