Self-Etch Bonding Agents

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George Freedman, DDS
Chandana Jain, DDS

HOW TO READ THE BUYERS’ GUIDE
Light curing
Self-etching adhesives typically require light curing for polymerization. Generally, light-cured adhesives exhibit stronger bonding to tooth structures than dual-cured or self-cured bonding agents and are clinically advantageous. The self-etching adhesives are usually indicated for direct restorative procedures. Their polymerization chemistry mechanisms are not designed to interact with dual- or self-curing composites, buildups, or cements. However, dual-cure self-etching adhesives are beginning to appear.

Mixing protocols
Self-etching adhesives may be premixed (seventh-generation) or may require mixing or a sequential application of various components, or both (sixth-generation). Any chairside process that requires pre-application (well or pad) mixing introduces a certain element of clinical unpredictability. It is unlikely that the dentist’s or assistant’s chairside manual mixing can be as accurate as the quality-controlled manufacturing process. Thus, with chairside mixing, it is reasonable to expect somewhat lower bond strengths than published figures. A sequential use of multiple components increases the overall treatment time, decreasing chairside efficiency. The premixed self-etching adhesives typically offer the greatest ease of use, the greatest convenience, and the most predictable bond strengths. On the other hand, despite these advantages, premixing may slightly, though not significantly, reduce adhesive strength.
The sixth- and seventh-generation adhesives are differentiated by the mix requirement. Multiple-component, sixth-generation bonding agents must be mixed and/or used in a specific application sequence. By definition, seventh-generation adhesives are provided premixed in a single bottle.

Adhesion time
Adhesion time is defined as the period from the initiation of the adhesive process until the point where the first composite layer can be applied. While relatively short, typically measured in seconds, adhesion time can impact practice efficiency significantly when one considers the number of times that adhesives are used daily (often more than 20 events) and the value of chairside time. A more efficient adhesive material (assuming equivalent bonding values and clinical properties) can impact a practice positively to the tune of many hours (and thousands of dollars) annually.

Working time
Some clinicians prefer to work more rapidly than others. The choice is a personal one largely dependent upon individual practice conditions and preferences.

Activation stability
Dental assistants are expected to lead the dentist in the efficient 4-handed practice. The time lapse between the mixing of the components and their application to the tooth surface is an important parameter that is too often overlooked. A prematurely polymerized adhesive or one in which the solvent has volatilized may be completely ineffective in providing a chemical and/or micromechanical link between the tooth and the restoration.

Solvent
The 3 most common adhesive solvents are acetone, alcohol, and water. Of the 3, acetone is the most hydrophilic; it chases and displaces water more quickly than the other 2. It is also the most volatile and should be applied quickly to the tooth after dispensing. Alcohol is less technique-sensitive than acetone, but it also less hydrophilic.

Film thickness
Bonding agents tend to have a very low film thickness. A lower film thickness tends to improve the overall bond strength of direct restorations. Values in the 10- to 15-µm range have been common for many years, but recent adhesive technology has demonstrated 5-µm film thickness. For direct restorations, film thickness is not that critical. Indirect procedures, however, present a very limited gap and a thick adhesive can prevent total seating of the restoration.

Metal and ceramic adhesion
The primary clinical concern is bonding to enamel and dentin. Occasionally, however, there is a need to adhere to metal and ceramic surfaces. Obviously, an adhesive’s utility in these applications is important. Increasingly, adhesion to existing restorations is be-coming a crucial factor in composite repair.

Photoinitiator(s)
For practical reasons, dentists do not have to be fully aware of the adhesive chemistry that they are utilizing. The specific photoinitiator(s) is (are) very important, however. The practitioner must be certain that the clinical curing light’s emission spectrum overlaps the adhesive’s photoinitiator absorption range. Since both curing light emission and photoinitiator absorption spectra can be variable, their alignment is crucial to successful adhesion. If the curing light does not activate the photoinitiators, the adhesive will remain uncured and the restorations will fail prematurely. Fortunately, there are 2 commonly used photoinitiators in dentistry, the CQs (468 nm) and the PPDMs (429 nm). Most curing lights today cover both of these wavelengths.

Unit-dose versus bottles
There are numerous advantages to unit-dose adhesives (decreased likelihood of cross infection, greater ease-of-use, etc.), while there is a cost advantage to bottled materials. The choice is personal for each practitioner. The decision should be based on convenience, space, and storage factors.

3M ESPE Simplify your adhesive inventory with a one-bottle, one-coat solution that delivers strength and confidence—Adper Easy Bond Self-Etch Adhesive. For those who prefer using a total-etch adhesive, a new “selective-etch” technique allows dental professionals to etch cut and uncut enamel surfaces to yield a higher bond strength to enamel. Whether a self-etch or a total-etch technique is preferred, now you only need Adper Easy Bond adhesive—requiring only one step to achieve a strong, reliable bond and providing successful, long-term restorative results. For more information, call (800) 634-2249 or visit the Web site 3mespe.com/adper.	BISCO ACE ALL-BOND SE is an innovative, handheld, all-in-one bonding system that lets you etch, prime, and bond in one simple application. It is a light-cured, self-etching adhesive that is compatible with light-, self-, and dual-cured materials without the use of ad-ditional activators. For added convenience, it is now offered in a proprietary cartridge that fits into the ACE dispenser. ACE’s fast and easy application takes the guesswork out of every procedure by accurately dispensing the correct proportion of material for predictable results. For more information, call (800) 247-3368 or visit the Web site bisco.com.
Coltène/Whaledent One Coat 7.0, a seventh-generation, single-component, light-cured, self-etching adhesive, is designed to deliver effortless bonding performance on any surface. It is applied in 35 seconds using only 3 steps. It is nanofilled to deliver a homogenous bond layer to improve mechanical strength, abrasion resistance, and marginal integrity. An activator is available to ensure compatibility to chemically cured materials. For more information, call (800) 221-3046.	Danville Materials Prelude SE offers superior results, versatility, and speed. It is one of the few self-etch systems that allow effective use on uncut enamel. It only requires a single, 10-second application of Primer and Adhesive. The third bottle, Link, converts it to dual-cure. Prelude offers the unique versatility of being used self-etch or total-etch, light-cure or self-cure. It has an ultrathin 5-µm film thickness. Use on enamel, dentin, composites, porcelain, and with self/ dual-cure composites. It is 24% nano-filled, water-, and ethanol-based. For more information, call (800) 827-7940.
Den-Mat Tenure Uni-Bond self-etching bonding system simplifies all direct bonding applications with anterior and posterior composites. It is ideal when cementing crowns and bridges with self-cure and dual-cure resin cements. It is compatible with self-cure, dual-cure, and light-cure composite materials. Gloss-N-Seal is a light-cure, low-viscosity, surface-penetrating sealant with exceptional abrasion resistance. It is easily applied to seal the microcracks within the resin and enamel surface on restorations. For more information, call (800) 433-6628.	DENTSPLY Caulk Xeno IV Light Cure and Dual Cure Self-Etching Dental Adhesives are based on trusted, proven PENTA resin technology. The strength is exceptional and durability is outstanding with superb sealing. The light-cure version is one-bottle, and a self-cure activator is added for dual-cure. Xeno IV Dual Cure has been independently tested to have the highest bond strength of any self-etch dual-cure adhesive. In dual-cure mode, Xeno IV adhesive can be used with all resin cements. For more information, call (800) LD-CAULK (532-2855) in the United States and (800) 263-1437 in Canada.
GC America G-BOND is a revolutionary, seventh-generation, one-component, self-etching, light-cured adhesive featuring a fast and easy application. It produces a strong and consistent bond in dry, moist, or wet fields on dentin or enamel in fewer than 30 seconds. No need to worry about technique sensitivity. It is ideal for bonding light-cured composites, compomers, dual-cured cements, and core build-up materials (in light-cure mode) to tooth structure. For more information, call (800) 323-7063.	Heraeus Kulzer The iBOND Self Etch is the all-in-one bonding adhesive that etches, primes, bonds, and desensitizes with just one application. With more than 15 scientific studies and Heraeus’s 25-year commitment to bonding, iBOND Self Etch is clinically proven to provide reliable and consistent results, high bond strength to dentin and enamel, convenient handling with easy application, and a demonstrated reduction in postoperative sensitivity. For more information, call (800) 431-1785.
Ivoclar Vivadent AdheSE One F is a self-etching, single-component, light-curing adhesive for use with direct restorations. It contains an added source of fluoride that enables fluoride ions to be released from the material. Additionally, this easy-to- use adhesive demonstrates high bond strength on both dentin and enamel while offering the advantage of room temperature storage. The new VivaPen design provides a more convenient and economical delivery form for adhesives. The VivaPen contains 2 mL of AdheSE One F adhesive, sufficient for approximately 120 applications. For more information, call (800) 533-6825.	J. Morita USA Max Bond LC offers both simplified application and superior bond strength. This easy-to-use, self-etching, light-cured dental adhesive was designed for bonding composites and compo-mers to enamel and dentin. This system contains 2 components that are mixed together and applied in a single step. Etching, priming, and bonding are accomplished in one application. It can be used with any light-cured, composite restorative material. Since etching is not required, postoperative sensitivity is also reduced. For more information, call (888) JMORITA (566-7482).
Kerr OptiBond All-In-One simplifies the restorative procedure by providing superior adhesion to all surfaces and substrates for both direct and indirect applications. A single-component, light- cure adhesive, it utilizes Kerr’s proven GPDM adhesive monomers and filler technology, delivering excellent penetration into dentinal tubules for extraordinary bond strength, protection against microleakage, and postoperative sensitivity. Its unique capability delivers the most effective enamel etching of any single-component adhesive, creating a deeper etched surface for higher mechanical retention. For more information, call (800) KERR-123 or visit kerrdental.com.	Kuraray America CLEARFIL SE Protect is a self-etch bonding agent with both antibacterial cavity-cleansing and fluoride-releasing properties. It eliminates the cost and extra step of applying a separate cavity cleanser to kill any bacteria that remain in cavities, especially “minimal-intervention” cavities. It is biologically safe because the functional monomer, MDPB, will not leak after light curing. It retains the outstanding characteristics of CLEARFIL SE Bond, including low post-op sensitivity, excellent bond strength for enamel and dentin, application speed, and ease of use. For more information, call (800) 700-5200 or visit the Web site kuraraydental.com.
Parkell Brush&Bond is an easy-to-use, high-strength bonding agent that protects and desensitizes your crown preps. It bonds direct and indirect composite and ceramic restorations, permanently seals the tubules to prevent sensitivity, and protects the vulnerable pulp against microleakage and bacterial invasion. It cures with all curing lights and is the best 30 seconds spent on crown preps. The kit includes 3 mL of liquid plus 100 standard activator brushes. For more information, call (888) 605-8510 or visit parkell.com.	Pentron Clinical Technologies Bond-1 SF Solvent Free SE Adhesive is a unique, solvent-free, self-etch, light-cured, one-coat bonding agent that can be used for all of your direct-composite bonding needs. Pentron Clin-ical Technologies has removed the solvent while preserving the high bond strengths associated with conventional bonding agents. Removing the solvent from this revolutionary product not only addresses common technique issues, such as over or under drying, but also facilitates the restoration of teeth faster than ever by requiring only a one-coat application. For more information, call (800) 551-0283 or visit pentron.com.
SDI (North America) Go! is a single-component, light-cured, self-etching, fluoride-releasing dentin and enamel bonding system. It etches, primes, and bonds at the same time. Using Go!, you won’t stress about over etching or over drying. With Go!, it does not even matter if you over-dry. It does not require multiple applications nor does it require scrubbing or agitation. You don’t even need to shake the bottle. It utilizes specially treated nanofillers to improve the cohesive strength of every bond and protect restoration margins. It completely wets the tooth surface for perfect marginal integrity. For more information, call (800) 228-5166 or visit the Web site sdi.com.au.	Tokuyama America Bond Force is a single-component, one-application, fluoride-releasing, seventh-generation, self-etching bonding system. It is a light-cured bonding system designed to be used on cut/uncut enamel and dentin. Indications include bonding of light- or dual-cured composite and fractured porcelain/ composite repair. With the patented SR monomer, it creates a 3-dimensional link to the tooth, generating an extremely strong bond. It is available in bottle or unit dose. For more information, call (877) 378-3548.
Ultradent Products The Peak SE Adhesive System takes bonding to a higher level with exceptional bond strengths, virtual elimination of post-op sensitivity, and convenient delivery. The ethyl alcohol carrier promotes a consistent coat and penetration, which allows for a longer working time, reliable bond strengths, and reduced sensitivity. Peak SE Primer is offered with Ultradent’s JetMix syringe-to-syringe delivery system to ensure a consistent, fresh adhesive chemistry with every application. Once activated, the chemistry remains fresh for more than 30 days. For more information, call (800) 552-5512.	VOCO America Futurabond DC is a nano-reinforced, dual-cure, single-step self-etch adhesive in a new single-dose delivery system. In only 35 seconds, it can be used in a self-cure or dual-cure mode with core build-up materials or resin cements. It can also be used in a light-cured mode for all composite placements. The most innovative feature is that it works in a self-cure mode without any light activation. This is a big advantage for use in endo applications like post cementation. It avoids the pooling effect, which is a problem with light-cured adhesives. For more information, call (888) 658-2584, visit the Web site vocoamerica.com, or send e-mail to info@voco.com.