Effect of thermomechanical aging on bond strength and interface morphology of glass fiber and zirconia posts bonded with a self-etch adhesive and a self-adhesive resin cement to natural teeth.

Statement Of Problem: Information regarding the effect of thermomechanical aging (TMA) on the bond strength of luting cements to root canal dentin and endodontic posts is limited.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of TMA on the bond strength of fiber and zirconia posts bonded to root canal dentin with 2 different resin cements with microtensile and scanning electron microscopic evaluation.

Material And Methods: Eighty extracted single-rooted human premolars were endodontically treated and restored with either a glass fiber post (FP) or a zirconia post (ZP) with 2 commercially available resin luting cements. The teeth were divided into 2 main groups. In the first group, posts (n=40) were bonded with a self-etch adhesive cement (SEAC). In the second group (n=40), posts were bonded using a self-adhesive cement (SAC). During the first aging phase, all specimens in each group were stored in distilled water for 30 days at 37°C. During the second phase, half of the specimens in each group were subjected to the TMA. The test groups were as follows: FP/SEAC, FP/SEAC+TMA, ZP/SEAC, ZP/SEAC+TMA, FP/SAC, FP/SAC+TMA, ZP/SAC, and ZP/SAC+TMA. The bond strength was measured with a microtensile test. Data were analyzed by 3-way analysis of variance and the Tukey honest significant different test (α=.05).

Results: FP/SEAC at 30 days was higher than in the other groups. However, bond strength values were significantly reduced in this group after TMA (P<.001).

Conclusions: Bond strength values and physical properties of SEAC with higher filler content were more affected by the TMA than those of SALC. According to scanning electron microscopic observation, TMA also affected the micromorphologic interface between the posts and the resin cements as well as between the resin cements and the root canal dentin.