Influence of surface treatment on bond strength between a heat-activated and a light-activated resin composite.

The shear bond strength of two light-activated resin composite materials to a preformed heat-polymerized resin material was measured. The substrate was a urethane dimethacrylate material designed for use as a direct bonded pontic. In the first phase of the study, the shear bond strength between the substrate and a urethane-based resin composite and seven surface treatments was evaluated. In the second phase, a Bis-GMA resin composite and three surface treatments were studied. The study showed that a bonding agent was essential for the achievement of an adequate bond strength between the light-activated and heat-polymerized resin. However, there was a significant difference in bond strength depending on the type of light-activated resin composite and bond agent used. A Bis-GMA-based light-activated composite, together with its bond system (22.82 MPa), provided higher bond strength than a urethane-based resin composite and its bonding system (14.45 MPa). There was a direct relationship between cohesive failure and bond strength; as bond strength increased, the number of cohesive failures increased as well.