LAUSR

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of pretreatment using phosphoric acid, sodium hypochlorite and sulfinic acid sodium salt on the bonding of one-step self-etching adhesives to root canal dentin. METHODS Thirty-six single-rooted sound human premolars were randomly assigned into three groups before applying the one-step self-etching adhesive. These comprised a control group with no pretreatment, an NC group that received phosphoric acid and subsequent sodium hypochlorite gel pretreatments, and an NC+AC group that received an additional treatment with sulfinic acid sodium salt following the same pretreatment applied to the NC group. Microtensile bond strength measurements, bonding interface observations by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental analyses by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and degree of polymerization (DOP) analyses by Raman spectroscopy were subsequently performed. RESULTS The bond strength was significantly higher in the NC+AC group than in the other two groups (Control: P=000.1 and NC: P=0.004). SEM observations showed that resin tags were present in the dentinal tubules in the NC and NC+AC groups. Compared to the control group, the adhesive resin layer had a lower DOP in the NC group, while the DOP for the NC+AC group was higher than that of the NC specimens. CONCLUSIONS Bonding to root canal dentin was improved by applying sulfinic acid sodium salt in addition to treatment with phosphoric acid followed by sodium hypochlorite. The DOP of the adhesive resin was reduced by sodium hypochlorite and subsequently restored by applying sulfinic acid sodium salt.