A biofilm-based aging model for testing degradation of dental adhesive microtensile bond strength

摘要

The objective of this work was to develop a short-term, clinically simulative, biofilm-based aging/storage model for lab testing of newer dental adhesives in order to predict their long-term performance. To do this we tested the hypothesis that 15 days of biofilm challenge with cariogenic bacterial species, Streptococcus mutans (SM) and Streptococcus sobrinus (SS), would produce similar or a greater reduction in microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of dental adhesives as compared to a standard 6 months of water storage (WS).Thirty-one molars were flattened to dentin, restored using Optibond-FL adhesive and Z-100 dental composite, sectioned and trimmed into four dumbbell-shaped specimens and randomly distributed according to aging conditions (n=31): A) Water storage for 6 months, B) Water storage for 5.5 months + S. mutans-biofilm challenge for 15 days, C) S. mutans-biofilm challenge for 15 days and D) S. sobrinus-biofilm challenge for 15 days. Specimens were gripped centrally with respect to the test axis with a non-gluing passive gripping device. Microtensile bond strength testing was performed using a Zwick Material Testing Machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min and failure modes were classified using light microscopy.Mixed model ANOVA and Weibull regression analysis revealed that the type of storage condition significantly affected the microtensile bond strength (pu3c0.0001). Mean microtensile bond strength observed within group A (49.69 ± 15.53MPa) was significantly higher than those in groups B (19.26 ± 6.26MPa), C (19.92 ± 5.86MPa) and D (23.58 ± 7.88MPa). Also, microtensile bond strength obtained with group D was significantly greater than that with groups B and C, while no difference was seen between the latter two groups. Chi-square statistical analysis indicated that specimens from groups B (74.2%), C (83.9%) and D (80.6%) were more likely to have cohesive failures in dentin than specimens from group A (54.8%).Within the limitations of the study, it can be concluded that 15 days of Streptococcus mutans- and Streptococcus sobrinus- based biofilm challenge produced more reduction in microtensile bond strength of dental adhesive than 6 months of water storage and appear to be a promising in vitro accelerated aging model.