Penetration of restorative resins into acid etched enamel. I. Viscosity, surface tension and contact angle of restorative resin monomers.

It has been a controversial question whether an intermediate layer of low-viscous, non-composite resin between composite restorative and etched enamel is beneficial. It was the purpose of the present work to investigate some of the factors that govern the penetration of resins into the capillary pores of etched enamel surfaces. Viscosity, surface tension and contact angle on human enamel were measured using monomer mixtures similar to those found in commercial restorative resins. Employing a cylindrical model of relevant dimensions of the capillary pores, and on the basis of Poiseuille's equation the time of penetration was calculated for a relatively high-viscous and a relatively low-viscous monomer mixture. It was concluded that viscosity as such is not a limiting factor for the penetration of restorative resin monomers into the pores of etched enamel surfaces.