A comparison of the shear strength of chemically versus electrolytically etched metal retainers

Evaluation of shear bond strength of composite resin bonded to alloy treated with sandblasting and electrolytic etching

Conservation of natural tooth structure precipitated the emergence of resin-retained fixed partial dentures. The weakest link in this modality is the bond between resin cement and alloy of the retainer. Various alloy surface treatment have been recommended to improve alloy-resin bond. This in vitro study was carried out to observe changes in the Nickel-Chromium alloy (Wiron 99, Bego) surface following sandblasting or electrolytic etching treatment by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and to evaluate the shear bond strength of a resin luting cement bonded to the surface treated alloy. 80 alloy blocks were cast and divided into four groups of 20 each. In groups-A & B, the test surfaces were treated by sandblasting with 50 and 250 μm sized aluminium oxide particles respectively. In groups-C & D, the test surfaces were first treated by sandblasting with 50 and 250 μm sized aluminium oxide particles respectively followed by electrolytic etching. Test surfaces were observed under SEM at 1,000× magnification. Two alloy blocks of each group were luted together by a resin luting cement (Rely X, 3M) and their shear bond strength was tested. The mean shear bond strength in MPa of groups-A to D were 6.44 (±0.74), 8.18 (±0.51), 14.45 (±0.59) and 17.43 (±1.20) respectively. Group-D showed bond strength that is more than clinically acceptable bond strength. It is recommended that before luting resin-retained fixed partial dentures, the fitting surface of the retainer should be electrolytically etched to achieve adequate micromechanical retention.

A comparison of 3 alloy surface treatments for resin-bonded prostheses

PURPOSE

The most frequent cause of clinical failure of resin-bonded fixed partial dentures is a debonding at the metal-cement interface. The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the tensile bond strengths of 3 different alloy-surface treatments when cemented to human enamel with a resin cement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cylinders of a nickel-chromium-beryllium (Ni-Cr-Be) and a gold-palladium (Au-Pd) alloy were fabricated and assigned to different surface treatment groups as follows: Group 1: Ni-Cr-Be, chemically etched; Group 2: Au-Pd, airborne particle-abraded and tin-plated; and Group 3: Au-Pd, airborne particle-abraded and treated with the Alloy Primer (Kuraray Co, LTD, Osaka, Japan). The cylinders were bonded to the enamel surfaces of extracted, human third molars and stored in normal saline at 37 degrees C for 48 hours. The tensile bond strength of 21 specimens from each group was measured on a Universal Testing Machine (Instron, Canton, MA). Three failed specimens of each group were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy.

RESULTS

Statistically significant differences (p <.05) were found between all 3 treatment groups. The mean tensile bond strengths (+/- the standard error of mean) recorded as follows: Group 1: 10.6 MPa (+/-1.3), Group 2: 0.9 MPa (+/-0.2), and Group 3: 13.4 MPa (+/-1.0). Specimens from groups 1 and 3 revealed a trend towards mixture of cohesive, within the resin cement, and adhesive failures at the metal-cement interface. Group 2 specimens exhibited primarily adhesive failures at the metal-cement interface.

CONCLUSIONS

The tensile bond strength of Au-Pd alloy specimens was significantly increased with the Alloy Primer.

Comparison of shear bond strengths of two resin luting systems for a base and a high noble metal alloy bonded to enamel

Researchers are investigating the use of noble metals for the fabrication of resin-bonded prostheses because of concerns about health hazards of nickel and beryllium in base metal alloys. Tin-plating has been advocated to improve the bond of resin luting agents to noble metal alloys. Some manufacturers have suggested that tin-plating is unnecessary to bond noble metal alloys to etched enamel with their products. In this study, Rexillium base metal and Olympia noble metal alloy specimens were bonded to extracted human teeth with the use of two resin luting agents (F21 and Panavia OP). One third of the noble metal specimens were tin-plated, one third were oxidized, and one third were oxidized and sandblasted. Each of the bonded specimens were thermocycled and subjected to a shear force until bond failure. The base metal specimens bonded with Panavia OP luting agent exhibited the greatest mean shear bond strengths. The tin-plating surface treatment significantly increased the mean shear bond strengths of Olympia noble metal specimens.