Effect of Caries Infiltrant Application on Shear Bond Strength of Different Adhesive Systems to Sound and Demineralized Enamel

Purpose: To investigate the influence of caries infiltrant application on the shear bond strength of different adhesives on sound and demineralized enamel. Materials and Methods: Sound and artificially demineralized (14 days, acidic buffer, pH 5.0) bovine enamel specimens were treated with a caries infiltrant (Icon, DMG), three different commercial adhesives (unfilled etchand- rinse adhesive: Heliobond, Ivoclar Vivadent; filled etch-and-rinse adhesive: Optibond FL, Kerr; or self-etching adhesive: iBOND Self Etch, Heraeus Kulzer) or a combination of caries infiltrant and adhesive. The shear bond strength of a nanohybrid composite was analyzed after thermocycling (5000x, 5° to 55°C) at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. Failure mode was inspected under a stereomicroscope at 25X magnification. Results: In both sound and demineralized enamel, the shear bond strength of the caries infiltrant was not significantly different from the etch-and-rinse adhesives, while the self-etching adhesive showed significantly lower values compared to all other groups. Pretreatment with the caries infiltrant significantly increased the bond strength of the self-etching adhesive in both substrates and of the filled etch-and-rinse adhesive in demineralized enamel. While shear bond strength was not significantly different between the two substrates, cohesive failures were more likely to occur in demineralized than sound specimens. Conclusion: The shear bond strength of the caries infiltrant was similar to the etch-and-rinse adhesives. The caries infiltrant did not impair bonding to sound or demineralized enamel, and even increased adhesion of the selfetching agent. Keywords: enamel, demineralization, caries infiltrant, adhesive, shear bond strength