Evaluation of shear bond strength of TheraCal PT and Biodentine in primary molars: In vitro study

Aim: TheraCal PT is a newer dual-cured resin-modified calcium silicate material with comparable biological properties to Biodentine. However, its bond strength to the dentin substrate is not known, especially for its use in primary teeth. Hence, the current study aimed to evaluate and compare the shear bond strength of two pulp capping materials, Biodentine and TheraCal PT in primary molars. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 28 non-carious human primary molars, which were nearing exfoliation, retained, or for orthodontic purposes, were extracted and collected. Using simple random sampling, they were randomly allocated into two groups with n = 14 in each group. Following occlusal flattening, cylindrical plastic tubes were stabilized and filled with TheraCal PT in group A and Biodentine in group B. All samples were incubated, subjected to universal testing machine, and analyzed under stereomicroscope for assessing the modes of failure. The statistical methods used were Independent t test, frequency, percentage (%), and Chi-square for intergroup comparison. The level of significance was kept at 0.05. Results: Significant differences in modes of failure were observed between TheraCal PT and Biodentine groups with P = 0.041. The modes of failure observed were mostly adhesive in group A compared with group B. The mean values of shear bond strength observed for groups A and B were 5.1 ± 3.5 and 3.1 ± 1.2 MPa, respectively. Conclusion: The shear bond strength observed for TheraCal PT was found to be comparable to that of Biodentine in primary molars.