Air-blowing strategies for improving the microtensile bond strength of one-step self-etch adhesives to root canal dentin.

The effect of different air-blowing strategies using a prototype of a newly developed clinically applicable warm air-blowing device on the microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of one-step self-etch adhesives (1-SEAs) to human root-canal dentin was evaluated. Post cavities (8 mm depth, 1.5 mm diameter) were prepared and bonded with four 1-SEAs. Air-blowing was performed using normal air (23±1°C) for 10 or 20 s; warm air (60±1°C) for 10 or 20 s; or their combination for 10 s (5 s normal, 5 s warm) or 20 s (10 s normal, 10 s warm). After filling with corresponding core materials and 24-h water storage, μTBS test was performed. For three of the 1-SEAs, combined air-blowing for 20 s significantly increased μTBS compared to other air-blowing strategies (p<0.05). This suggests that the combination of normal and warm air-blowing for 20 s can enhance solvent evaporation from 1-SEAs, thus resulting in their improved bonding performance to root-canal dentin.