A new surface treatment for bonding

Abstract

Bonding resins to enamel requires some form of mechanical attachment. Currently the dissolution of the outermost enamel layer is involved in etching with phosphoric acid. A new approach to mechanical bonding is described using a crystalline interface which itself bonds chemically to enamel. The crystals produced as good a bond strength as conventional acid etching. The crystals can be removed from the enamel with an ultrasonic or sickle-scaler followed by pumice prophylaxis. Many variations of the crystal growth principle may be visualized, including the development of fluoride-containing crystals.