Effect of various dentin disinfection protocols on the bond strength of resin modified glass ionomer restorative material

BACKGROUND: Disinfection of dentin surface prior to any restorative therapy is important for the longevity of the treatment rendered. However, these dentin disinfection methods should itself not interfere with the adhesion of the restorative material. Therefore the aim of this study was to determine the effect of various dentin disinfection protocols on the shear bond strength (SBS) of resin modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The occlusal surface of 40 extracted premolars were trimmed to obtain a flat dentinal surface and was randomly divided into four groups. CTRL was the control group; NaOCl was 1% sodium hypochlorite disinfection group; CHX was 2% chlorhexidine disinfection group; and PAD was the photo-activated disinfection group. Then a predetermined dimension of RMGIC was bonded to the pre-treated dentin surfaces. Following this, each sample was tested for SBS using universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5mm/min. RESULTS: Among the test groups, CHX showed the least reduction in SBS and NaOCl the highest reduction in SBS as compared to the control group. PAD on the other hand showed significantly lower SBS than CTRL and CHX groups, but the values were higher than the NaOCl group. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, it could be concluded from the present study that use of chlorhexidine based dentin disinfection does interfere with the adhesion of RMGIC. However, photo-activated disinfection should be done with caution. Moreover, sodium hypochlorite based disinfectants should be avoided prior to the use of RMGIC. Key words:Chlorhexidine, Dentin disinfection, Photo-activated disinfection, Resin modified glass ionomer cement, Shear bond strength, Sodium hypochlorite.