Objective: To study in vitro the effect of two cross-linking silanes, bis-1,2-(triethoxysilyl)ethane and bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]amine, blended with an organofunctional silane coupling agent, (3-acryloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane, on the shear bond strength between resin-composite cement and silicatized zirconia after dry storage and thermocycling.
Materials and methods: Six tested groups of 90 samples of yttria stabilized zirconia were used for sample preparation. The surfaces of the zirconia were silica-coated. 3M ESPE Sil silane was used as a control. Solutions of (3-acryloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane with cross-linking silanes bis-1,2-(triethoxysilyl)ethane and bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]amine were applied onto the surface of silicatized zirconia. 3M ESPE RelyX resin-composite cement was bonded onto the silicatized and silanized zirconia surface and light-cured. Three groups were tested under dry condition and the other three groups were tested for thermocycling. The shear bond strength was measured using a materials testing instrument. Group mean shear bond strengths were analysed by ANOVA at a significant level of p < 0.05. The zirconia surface composition was analysed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy.
Results: The highest shear bond strength was 11.8 ± 3.5 MPa for (3-acryloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane blended with bis-1,2-(triethoxysilyl)ethane (dry storage). There was a significant difference between mean shear bond strength values for (3-acryloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane blended with two cross-linking silanes, bis-1,2-(triethoxysilyl)ethane and bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]amine, after thermocycling (p < 3.9 × 10(-8)). Various surface treatments of zirconia influenced the surface roughness (p < 4.6 × 10(-6)). The chemical composition analysis showed there was an increase in silicon and oxygen content after sandblasting.
Conclusions: The results suggest that the combination of functional (3-acryloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane with cross-linking bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]amine showed superior hydrolytic stability than with bis-1,2-(triethoxysilyl)ethane.