Influence of the activation mode on long-term bond strength and endogenous enzymatic activity of dual-cure resin cements

Objective: To investigate the long-term microtensile bond strength (µTBS), interfacial nanoleakage expression (NL), and adhesive stability of dual-cure resin cements with/out light activation to dentin. Materials and methods: Composite overlays (N = 20) were luted to deep dentin surfaces with RelyX Ultimate (RXU, 3M) or Variolink EstheticDC (VAR, Ivoclar-Vivadent). A universal adhesive was used for bonding procedures (iBond universal, Heraeus Kulzer). The resin cements were either self-cured (SC; 1 h at 37 °C) or dual-cured (DC; 20s light-cure followed by 15 min self-cure at 37 °C). Specimens were submitted to µTBS immediately (T0) or after 1 year of laboratory storage (T12). The fracture pattern was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Data were statistically analyzed with two-way ANOVA/Tukey test. Further, the NL was quantified and analyzed (chi-square test) and in situ zymography was performed to evaluate the endogenous enzymatic activity within the hybrid layer (HL) at T0 and T12 (Mann–Whitney test). The significance level for all statistical tests was set at p = 0.05. Results: DC resulted in higher bond strength and decreased fluorescence at the adhesive interface, irrespective of the material and the storage period (p < 0.05). Significantly lower bonding performances (p < 0.05) and higher endogenous enzymatic activity (p < 0.05) were observed within the HL at T12 compared to T0 in all tested groups. Conclusions: Light-curing the dual-cure resin cements, more than the cement materials, accounted for good bonding performances and higher HL stability over time when used with a universal adhesive. Clinical significance The curing condition influences the bonding performances of dual-cure resin cements to dentin when used with a universal adhesive.