Evaluation of bulk-fill systems: microtensile bond strength and non-destructive imaging of marginal adaptation.

The objective of this study was to investigate microtensile bond strength (MTBS) and interfacial adaptation (IA) of bulk-fill restorative systems bonded to dentin in Class-I-preparations. Box-shaped preparations (4-mm-long, 3-mm-wide, 2-mm-high) made in extracted molars, and Teflon matrix with the same dimensions positioned over the occlusal surface were restored, providing a total of 4-mm composite depth using three bulk-fill restorative systems: Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill with Tetric N-Bond (TEC/TNB), SureFil SDR Flow with XP Bond (SDR/XPB) and Filtek Bulk Fill Flowable Restorative with Scotchbond Universal (FBF/SBU); or incrementally restored with a conventional restorative system: Herculite Classic with OptiBond FL (HER/OBF). The specimens were sectioned into beams and the MTBS measured after 24-hours or one-year storage. For evaluation of IA, round-tapered tooth preparations (3-mm-diameter, 1.5-mm-deep) were made, restored with each material and their cross-sectional images were obtained after 24-hours using optical coherence tomography (OCT). The gap percentage for each restoration system was calculated using image analysis software. MTBS for both storage periods: HER/OBF=TEC/TNB=SDR/XPB>FBF/SBU (ANOVA, Tukey's post-hoc, P<0.05) differed significantly among groups, which values were significantly reduced after one-year. SDR/XPB showed comparatively lesser gap formation at the tooth-interface after 24 hours (ANOVA, Dunnett's T3 post-hoc, P<0.05). For deeper restorations, bond strength of TEC/TNB and SDR/XPB can be equal to that of HER/OBF after 24-hours and one-year; however, in a shallower preparation, SDR/XPB showed greater initial interfacial adaptation.