In vitro shear bond strength between fluorinated zirconia ceramic and resin cements

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a gas-phase fluorination method under different fluorination periods through using two resin cements. MATERIALS AND METHODS. 84 zirconia specimens in dimensions of 5 mm x 5 mm x 2 mm were prepared and surface treated with 50 mu m aluminum oxide particles or gas phase fluorination for 2 min, 5 min, or 10 min. One specimen in each group was surface analyzed under scanning electron microscope. The remaining specimens were bonded to composite cylinders in dimensions of 2 mm diameter and 3 mm high with Panavia SA Plus or Variolink N. Then, the specimens were stored in 37 degrees C distilled water for 24 hours and shear bond strength test was applied at a speed of 1 mm/min. RESULTS. The highest shear bond strength values were observed in the samples fluorinated for 5 minutes and cemented with Panavia SA Plus. Variolink N did not elicit any statistical differences between surface treatments. Panavia SA Plus resin cement and Variolink N resin cements featured statistically significant difference in shear bond strength values only in the case of 5 minutes of fluorination treatment. CONCLUSION. According to the results of this study, application of 5 minutes of fluorination with 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate monomer (MDP) containing Panavia SA Plus resin cement increased the resin bond strength of zirconia. Fluorination of the zirconia surface using conventional resin cement, Variolink N, did not lead to an increase in bond strength.