Effect of Chemomechanical Caries Removal with Papacarie Gel on Bond Strength of Composite Resin Restoration

Aim: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of chemomechanical caries removal with papacarie gel on bond strength of composite resin restoration.

Method: Caries in twenty extracted primary molars with large carious cavities was removed using papacarie gel. Samples were divided into two basic groups (10/each). Group (1) was treated with Adper™ Scotchbond™ SE Self-Etch Adhesive and group (2) was treated with iBond® Total Etch. Both groups were restored with Harvard Restore Composite. Teeth were sectioned vertically with diamond disc, then embedded in self-cure acrylic resin and polished. Teeth were immersed in sodium hypochlorite, followed by hydrochloric acid then rinsed and dehydrated with alcohol. Specimens were dried, mounted on aluminum stab and scanned with electron microscope to evaluate the resin tags qualitatively and quantitatively.

Results: in self-etch group micro-tags were longer, dense and with numerous lateral branches than the total etch group with no significant difference.

Conclusion: Self-etch adhesive system showed longer, dense and numerous lateral branches of resin tags than the total etch after usage of papacarie gel as caries removal.