Effect acidic and alkaline/heat treatments on the bond strength of different luting cements to commercially pure titanium

Abstract 

Objective

The purpose of this study was to characterize the effects of either acidic or combined alkaline/heat treatments on the surface of grit-blasted commercially pure (cp) titanium. The effects of the previous treatments on the shear bond strength (SBS) of cp titanium to conventional glass ionomer, resin-reinforced glass ionomer and self-adhesive resin luting cements were evaluated.

Methods

Titanium discs were machined and received one of the following treatments; grit-blasting (GB), grit-blasting followed either by etching in HNO₃/HF solution (GB/Ac) or by combined 5M NaOH treatment/heat treatment at 600°C for 1h, then immersed for 24h in SBF solution before cementation (GB/Ak). The treated surfaces were characterized by atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and laser-induced brake-down spectroscopy (LIBS). Discs were cemented either by Fuji I, Fuji Plus or Rely X™ Unicem luting cements. The SBS was evaluated and the debonded discs were investigated by SEM.

Results

Two prominent results were revealed; first, GB/Ak treatment showed the highest SBS than the other treatments (P<0.0001). Second, Rely X™ Unicem showed the highest SBS than the other cements (P<0.0001). Fuji I and Fuji Plus showed predominant cohesive type of failure, whereas Rely X™ showed predominant adhesive type of failure.

Significance

Combined alkaline/heat treatments of commercially pure titanium surface shows to be of beneficial effect in enhancing SBS to glass ionomer, resin-modified glass ionomer and adhesive resin luting cements.

Keywords: Titanium, Shear bond strength, Luting cements, Surface treatment, AFM surface characterization