Bond Strength and Bioactivity of Zn-Doped Dental Adhesives Promoted by Load Cycling

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to evaluate if mechanical loading influences bioactivity and bond strength at the resin–dentin interface after bonding with Zn-doped etch-and-rinse adhesives. Dentin surfaces were subjected to demineralization by 37% phosphoric acid (PA) or 0.5 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Single bond (SB) adhesive—3M ESPE—SB+ZnO particles 20 wt% and SB+ZnCl22 wt% were applied on treated dentin to create the groups PA+SB, SB+ZnO, SB+ZnCl2, EDTA+SB, EDTA+ZnO, and EDTA+ZnCl2. Bonded interfaces were stored in simulated body fluid for 24 h and tested or submitted to mechanical loading. Microtensile bond strength (MTBS) was assessed. Debonded dentin surfaces were studied by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. Remineralization of the bonded interfaces was assessed by atomic force microscope imaging/nanoindentation, Raman spectroscopy/cluster analysis, and Masson’s trichrome staining. Load cycling (LC) produced reduction in MTBS in all PA+SB, and no change was encountered in EDTA+SB specimens, regardless of zinc doping. LC increased the mineralization and crystallographic maturity at the interface; a higher effect was noticed when using ZnO. Trichrome staining reflected a narrow demineralized dentin matrix after loading of dentin surfaces that were treated with SB-doped adhesives. This correlates with an increase in mineral platforms or plate-like multilayered crystals in PA or EDTA-treated dentin surfaces, respectively.