Effect of citric acid erosion on enamel and dentin and possible protection by a novel bioactive borate adhesive system.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the ability of a borate adhesive to protect enamel/dentin surfaces from acidic erosion and its effect on the shear bond strength (SBS) of enamel/dentin to resin composite. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 180 human enamel/dentin specimens were utilized. Enamel buccal surfaces were etched with phosphoric-acid then divided into: (EBG) borate glass adhesive group; (ERS) resin-adhesive system group; (EF) fluoride gel 1.23% group, and enamel control (EC) group; followed by bonding to orthodontic-buttons. The dentin specimens were conditioned by EDTA (Ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid) and divided into: (DBG) borate glass resin, (DRS) resin adhesive; (DDA) group had a dentin-desensitizing agent VivaSens (VivaDent, Liechtenstein) and (DC) control group. The treated enamel/dentin specimens had their SBS to composite. The enamel/dentin specimens were exposed to 1% citric acid (18 min). Enamel/dentin specimens were examined by (SEM/EDS) scanning-electron-microscope equipped with electron-dispersive-spectroscopy and (FTIR/ATR). Analysis-of-Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the SBS and Wilcoxon-signed-rank test was used to compare the enamel/dentin areas protected by the applied agents before/after erosion (p = 0.05). RESULTS: There was no significance difference in SBS among all groups except for (DDA) group that showed significant decrease p < 0.05. (EBG) and (DBG) groups were the only groups significantly protected enamel and dentin from erosion p < 0.05. FTIR/ATR showed that erosion altered the chemical structure of (DRS), (DDA), and (DC) groups but did not affect the other enamel/dentin groups. Degree of conversion of the borate-adhesive system was acceptable. CONCLUSION: The Borate adhesive system released calcium and phosphate compounds that decreased the erosive activity of the citric acid resulting in protecting simulated dentin-hypersensitive areas and enamel from erosion without affecting the SBS to resin-composite. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: A Borate adhesive system can be adopted as a therapeutic agent in a fully integrated program for protecting dentin-hypersensitive areas and in enamel next to orthodontic fixed appliances.