Stable Resin Bonding to Y-TZP Ceramic with Air Abrasion by Alumina Particles Containing 7% Silica

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of new air-abrasion powders with different silica concentrations (silica-coated aluminum oxide) and aging on the bond strength between composite cement and Y-TZP ceramic. Materials and Methods: Ceramic slices (7 x 6.3 x 2 mm3) were randomly allocated into 8 groups (n = 20) considering different surface treatments (SiC: silica-coated aluminum oxide particles; AlOx: aluminum oxide particles; 7% Si and 20% Si: experimental powders consisting of 7% and 20% silica-coated of AlOx respectively) and aging (baseline: 24 h at 37°C in water; aged: 90 days at 37°C in water + 12,000 thermal cycles). A blinded researcher performed the air-abrasion procedure for 10 s (identical parameters for all groups). Composite resin cylinders (Ø = 3 mm) were cemented onto the silanized ceramic surfaces, light cured, and subjected to shear bond-strength testing (wire loop Ø = 0.5 mm). The topography of the powders and air-abraded surfaces was analyzed using SEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The elemental composition of the powders and air-abraded surfaces was analyzed with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and surface wetting of the air-abraded surfaces was also determined by contact-angle measurements. Results: Under baseline conditions, all groups presented similar bond strengths, but only SiC and 7% Si yielded unaltered bond strength after aging. SiC and 7% Si presented lower contact angles. All groups presented similar surface topographies. The silica content was also similar among groups, except for AlOx. Conclusion: 7% Si and SiC presented similar bond strength and better bonding performance after aging than AlOx and 20% Si. A higher silica concentration was not able to promote stable adhesion of composite cement after aging. Keywords: air abrasion, silica concentration, surface treatments, shear bond strength, yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide