Effect of Hydrofluoric Acid Concentration and Etching Time on Bond Strength to Lithium Disilicate Glass Ceramic

Current ceramic materials offer preferred optical properties for highly esthetic restorations. The inherent brittleness of some ceramic materials, specific treatment modalities, and certain clinical situations require resin bonding of the completed ceramic restoration to the supporting tooth structures for long-term clinical success. This article presents a literature review on the resin bond to dental ceramics. A PubMed database search was conducted for in vitro studies pertaining to the resin bond to ceramic materials. The search was limited to peer-reviewed articles published in English between 1966 and 2001. Although the resin bond to silica-based ceramics is well researched and documented, few in vitro studies on the resin bond to high-strength ceramic materials were identified. Available data suggest that resin bonding to these materials is less predictable and requires substantially different bonding methods than to silica-based ceramics. Further in vitro studies, as well as controlled clinical trials, are needed.

The bonding interface of glass ceramics and resin luting cements plays an important role in the long-term durability of ceramic restorations. The purpose of this systematic review is to discuss the various factors involved with the bond between glass ceramics and resin luting cements.

Lithium disilicate is a relatively new and popular restorative material for esthetic and functional rehabilitations, but the evidence for clinical outcomes is not clear.