Effect of tetrabutylammonium dihydrogen trifluoride treatment on durability of resin–titanium bond strengths

This study investigated the effect of titanium surface treatment with tetrabutylammonium dihydrogen trifluoride (TDTF) on the bond between the titanium and resins for dental applications. Commercially pure titanium (cpTi) specimens were air-abraded with alumina particles, surface-treated with an etchant containing TDTF (Monobond Etch & Prime; ETCH) for 10 s (ETCH10) or 30 s (ETCH30), rinsed with water, treated with a phosphoric monomer-based primer, and bonded to an indirect resin composite. Non-ETCH-treated specimens (no-ETCH) were prepared as a control. The shear bond strengths were determined before and after 100,000 thermocycles, and the means and standard deviations for eight specimens were calculated and statistically analyzed using a non-parametric Steel–Dwass test (α = 0.05). The ETCH10 and ETCH30 specimens exhibited the highest bond strengths, which were maintained for 100,000 thermocycles, while significantly lower values were obtained for no-ETCH specimens. In conclusion, the surface treatment with a TDTF-containing etchant considerably improved the durability of the resin–cpTi bond strength. Appropriate surface treatment of cpTi should be selected for achieving longer-lasting treatments and better clinical solutions for patients.