LAUSR

Microscopy has been widely used to complement the data of studies related to dentin bonding; however, different specimen preparation methods may influence the analysis. Aiming to contribute to the reported scenario, this study evaluated the effect of two specimen‐sectioning methods (cleavage and diamond disk cut) on the quality of the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. Four crowns of human molars were selected and had an area of approximately 6 mm2 of dentin exposed. They were then divided into two groups according to the universal adhesive application: total and self‐etching modes. Then, composite blocks were built up and the specimens were stored in deionized water to allow the postcuring. The specimens were further divided according to the sectioning method: cleavage or diamond disk cut. Four specimens were obtained from each tooth. They were desiccated, placed on aluminum stubs, sputter‐coated with gold, and observed in a scanning electron microscope, with ×2000 of magnification. The quality of the SEM images were evaluated by two calibrated examiners and classified into four scores (1–4). Mann–Whitney test (p < .05) showed that the diamond disk provided significantly higher scores than cleavage, whereas no significant difference was observed when comparing the total‐etching and self‐etching modes of application. The diamond disk cut method is preferable to the cleavage method to ensure the quality of the SEM analysis in studies involving the resin–dentin interface.