Effects of ceramic primers and post-silanization heat treatment on bond strength of resin cement to lithium disilicate-based ceramic

This study evaluated the effect of different ceramic primers and heat treatment of silane coupling agents on bond strength of resin cement to glass ceramic. Five ceramic primers (Clearfil Ceramic Primer/CCP, MonoBond-S, ProSil, RelyX Ceramic Primer and Silano) and one conventional resin cement (RelyX ARC) were tested. Lithium disilicate-based ceramic plates were previously etched with hydrofluoric acid, except for CCP (n?=?10). All silane agents were applied to ceramics according to the manufacturer’s instructions and primed ceramics plates were heated (in oven at 100?°C for 1?min) or not before resin cement placement. Dual-cure resin cement was mixed and inserted in tubes (0.75?mm diameter?×?1?mm height) that were positioned over primed ceramic surfaces. Micro-shear testing was performed using a universal testing machine. Bond strength data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test (5%). Ceramic primer heating did not improve the bond strength of the resin cement to lithium disilicate. Most of ceramic primers did not indicate significant difference in bond strength among them; however, CCP yielded the lowest bond strength among the ceramic primers. In conclusion, when the silane was applied on etched surface the bond strength was higher and heat treatment of silane coupling agents did not affect the bond strength.