Touch-Cure Polymerization at the Composite Cement-Dentin Interface

Ceramic restorations are often adhesively luted onto the tooth prep. The so-called touch-cure concept was developed to yield optimum polymerization of composite cement at restoration-cement-tooth interface for immediate bond stabilization. Although this touch cure is theorized initiate when accelerator in primer makes contact with cement, process has not yet been proven. This study aimed elucidate mechanism by measuring degree conversion (DC) applied or without an accelerator-containing (TP) versus accelerator-free using real-time Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (RT-FTIR) and attenuated total reflection (ATR)–FTIR. Interfacial strength measured shear mode, composition confirmed X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), interfacial interaction TP dentin investigated diffraction (XRD), focused-ion-beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) 3-dimensional reconstruction, transmission (TEM). RT/ATR-FTIR revealed significantly highest DC primer. XRF disclosed a vanadium compound as novel chemical within TP, instead classic curing initiator system, set off soon contacts previously contains acidic functional monomer 10-MDP adhesion tissue, combined fastest/highest strength. FIB-SEM TEM tight submicron hybridization along stable also Ca-salt nanolayering.