PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF A NOVEL RETENTIVE SYSTEM FOR HYDROFLUORIC-ACID ETCH-RESISTANT DENTAL CERAMICS

Statement of problem. A potential limitation to clinical use of In-Cer am and In-Ceram Spinell dental ceramics has been the inability to etch fit surfaces. Purpose. This study investigated a novel retentive syst em for In-Ceram and In-Ceram Spinell ceramics. Material and methods. T he system, Bateman etch retention system, relies on incorporation of p lastic chips on the surface of a specimen. The plastic chips were subs equently burnt-out to leave pits on the fitting surface of the ceramic restoration. The effect of these surface pits on flexural strength of test specimens was compared with unetched and sandblasted samples. Sh ear bond strengths between clean and saliva contaminated samples and P anavia TC resinous cement were also determined. Results. The Bateman e tch retention system significantly reduced the flexural strength of bo th In-Ceram and Spinell ceramic specimens compared with unetched and s andblasted samples (p < 0.05). No significant differences were discove red between shear bond strengths of uncontaminated. Bateman etch reten tion system and sandblasted samples. However, mean shear bond strength s of saliva-contaminated Bateman etch retention system In-Ceram sample s were substantially greater than those of saliva contaminated sandbla sted samples (p < 0.05). Conclusion. The Bateman etch retention system method should be the subject of additional investigation.