Experimental self-etching HEMA-free adhesive systems: cytotoxicity and degree of conversion.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of replacing 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) by methacrylate surfactant monomers on the cytotoxicity and degree of conversion of two-step self-etching dentin adhesive systems. Five HEMA-free adhesive systems were tested: Bis-EMA 10, Bis-EMA 30, PEG400, PEG400UDMA, PEG1000, and a HEMA group was used as positive control. The cytotoxicity of the experimental primers, with different monomer concentrations (2 or 20 wt%), and bond resins, containing 25 wt% surfactant, was assessed using murine fibroblast cell line 3T3 and the tetrazolium assay (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT)).