Effects of Dentin Depth and Cavity Configuration on Bond Strength

Abstract

During polymerization of resin composites, shrinkage stresses compete with resin-dentin bonds in a manner that can cause failure of the bond, depending upon the configuration of the cavity, its depth, and the restorative technique. The hypothesis tested in this study was that the effect of cavity configuration (C) and remaining dentin thickness (RDT) influence resin bond strength to the dentin of Class I cavity floors. The occlusal enamel was ground to expose a flat superficial dentin surface as a control (superficial dentin, C-factor = 1) in human extracted third molars. Cavities 3 mm long × 4 mm wide were prepared to a depth 2 mm below the ground dentin surfaces (deep dentin within cavity ..