Bonding of primed zirconia ceramics: evidence of chemical bonding and improved bond strengths.

Purpose: To investigate changes of zirconia surface hydrophobicity (contact angle) following the application of a zirconia primer as a function of post-priming storage period and after exposure to harsh conditions and to analyze whether there is a chemical bond formation between a zirconia primer and zirconia ceramics.

Methods: Zirconia ceramics were treated with a zirconia primer (ZPrime Plus, Bisco), left undisturbed for specific times (reaction time), followed by ultrasonic cleansing in ethanol or acetone bath, and then contact angles were measured (n = 10). The primed zirconia ceramics were also subjected to harsh conditions (strong acid or boiling water) prior to contact angle testing. The chemical change of zirconia surface with and without being primed was analyzed by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS). Shear bond strength (Ultradent jig method) on zirconia surface was tested using different zirconia primers. The data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test with 95% confidence level.

Results: The contact angle on the primed zirconia surface (from 56 degrees to 72 degrees for different primers) was significantly higher than that of unprimed zirconia (15 degrees) (P < 0.05). Contact angles were maximized as the reaction time increased within 5 minutes (increased from 58 degree at 10 seconds, to 72 degrees at 5 minutes). Exposure to harsh conditions (i.e. strong acid or boiling water) exhibited no significant change in contact angle values (P > 0.05). The TOF-SIMS detected fragmentations with mass of 549 and 411, indicating that a chemical group of phosphate monomer(P)-O-Zr existed, which indicated a chemical bond was formed between zirconia and ZPrime Plus. All of the zirconia primers tested in the study significantly improved zirconia bond strengths (4 MPa for unprimed zirconia, and 17-23 MPa for primed zirconia, P < 0.05).