Grobler, SiasMoodley, Desi2022-04-192024-04-162022-04-192024-04-161999https://hdl.handle.net/10566/11056Magister Chirurgiae Dentium (MChD)Purpose: To evaluate and compare the in-vitro shear bond strength and micro leakage of two compomers with their adhesive systems and to examine the dentine-restorative interface under confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM). Matoiats and Methods: For shear bond strength (SBS) testing thirty non-carious human molars were used of which fifteen molars were restored with Dyract AP using Non-Rinse Conditioner (NRC) and Prime&Bond NT (PBNT) and fifteen were restored with F2000 and Scotchbond Multi-Purpose Plus (SBMP). For the microleakage evaluation cavity preparations were made on the facial surfaces of thirty non-carious premolars. These were then restored with the respective compomer system. The specimens were thermocycled, sectioned and examined for dye penetration. The dentine-restorative interface was examined through a confocal scanning laser microscope. The primers of the bonding agents were labelled with rhodamine B and the adhesive resins were labelled with fluorescein and examined under CSLM in fluorescent mode. Results: The mean SBS for PBNT and SBMP were 12.8 and 18.1 MPa, respectively. The microleakage scores showed Dyract with PBNT leaked on the dentine side in 13 of the 15 specimens examined. On the enamel side 2 of the 15 specimens showed microleakage. With F2000 and SBMP no micro leakage was observed on either enamel or dentine sides. The CSLM images show clear resin tag and hybrid layer formation for both the materials examined, although SBMP showed deeper penetration into the dentine with longer resin tags. The length of the resin tags and thickness of the hybrid layer for PBNT was found to be approximately 10 um and 2 um respectively. SBMP showed resin tags measuring about 100 um while the hybrid layer measured about 5 um. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the acid-etch technique ofSBMP with F2000 produces higher bond strength and no micro leakage when compared to the self-etching/self-priming "non-rinse technique" of NRC with PBNT and Dyract.enThermocycledMicroleakageScotchbond Multi- Purpose Plus (SBMP)Non-Rinse Conditioner (NRC)Confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM)Shear bond strength (SBS)In-vitroPrime&Bond NT (PBNT)University of the Western Cape