BONDING OF RESIN CEMENTS TO AN ALUMINOUS CERAMIC - A NEW SURFACE-TREATMENT

Objectives. The purpose of the work reported here was to develop a sur face treatment of an alumina-based ceramic (In Ceram) that would make reliable bonding to a resin-based luting agent possible. Methods. The surface treatment studied was the application of a suspension of a fin e-grained, refractory powder, which after drying was sintered to the s urface at 960 degrees C. The adherence potential of the surface was de termined by measurement of bond energy. Results. It was found that the surface treatment, in conjunction with a heat-treated, silane couplin g agent, resulted in mean bond energies of 47 (+/-19), 56 (+/-22), and 525 (+/-116) J/m(2) for the three resin cements studied. Significance . It was concluded that the new surface treatment makes reliable bondi ng possible, which may allow new indications for this material.