Adhesion to dentin: studies of surface chemical reactions towards the goalof improved bonding

Human dentin consists of protein and mineral phases in the form of a collag en network reinforced with apatite. The bonding of materials to dentin, an important goal of dental materials research, can be achieved by the reactio n of adhesion promoters with either of these phases. Our group is concerned with such bonding, and has used surface-sensitive instrumentation to eluci date the nature of a variety of surface treatments of dentin. Here, we disc uss some of our findings, with particular emphasis on the kinetics of surfa ce demineralization and deproteination, the reaction of formaldehyde with c ollagen, and the reaction of organophosphate with dentin apatite. The ramif ications of our findings will be examined.