Abstract
PURPOSE: Self-adhesive flowable giomer (SAG) has been used in dental practice recently to simplify clinical procedures and shorten chair times. However, there are only few studies evaluating its bond strength to enamel and dentin, resulting in a lack of evidence. The purpose of this study was to compare the micro-shear bond strength with and without adhesive in enamel and dentin to evaluate the self-adhesive ability of SAG. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Sound bovine teeth were used as the tooth substrates. For μ-SBS tests, enamel and dentin specimens were prepared for SAG (Beautifil Kids SA - BK), a self-adhesive flowable composite (Vertise Flow - VF), and a nanohybrid flowable giomer (Beautifil Flow Plus F03 - BF). Two adhesive modes were tested for BK and VF (with self-etching adhesive and no adhesive), and one for BF (with self-etching adhesive). The μ-SBS test was conducted after 24 h and after thermocycling for 10,000 cycles using a universal testing machine. RESULTS: For all materials, when self-etching adhesive was used, the μ-SBS was significantly higher than that of the no-adhesive group (P 0.05). No statistically significant difference was found between the restorative materials under any condition. Thermocycling had no significant effect on the μ-SBS of BK. In the self-etching adhesive group, mixed failure was predominant for all materials. However, in no-adhesive group, adhesive failure and mixed failure were observed at similar levels for all materials. CONCLUSION: The self-adhesive resin without adhesive showed lower bonding strength in both enamel and dentin compared to the one with adhesive. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although there were no significant differences in bond strength stability between materials, SAG still offers a simplified bonding process without compromising bond strength, making it a viable option for clinical use.