Effect of a plant-based hemostatic agent on microleakage of self-etching adhesives

OBJECTIVE This in vitro study evaluated the effect of Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS) contamination on the microleakage of one-step and two-step self-etching adhesives. STUDY DESIGN Class V cavities were prepared at the cemento-enamel junction on both buccal and lingual surfaces of 60 freshly extracted human molars. Teeth were randomly assigned into three groups according to contamination material applied (Group I, no contamination; Group II, blood contamination; Group III, ABS contamination). In contaminated groups, one drop of blood and ABS solution was applied directly to the dentin surface and air-dried. Each group was further divided into two subgroups according to bonding agent used [Group A, Clearfil SE Bond (two-step self-etching adhesive); Group B, Adper Easy One (one-step self-etching adhesive)]. Adhesive materials were applied according to the manufacturers' recommendations. The specimens were restored using a universal microhybrid composite (Arabesk). After thermocycling (5000x, 5°C - 55°C) and immersion in a 0.5% basic fuchsin, dye penetration was evaluated under a stereomicroscope. Statistical analysis was performed with Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests at p < 0.05. RESULTS Significantly higher microleakage scores were observed when one-step self-etching adhesive was applied to blood- and ABS-contaminated dentin. However, when a two-step self etching adhesive was used, microleakage was observed only following blood contamination, not following ABS contamination. CONCLUSIONS Although, blood contamination before adhesive application resulted in increased microleakage with both one-step and two-step self-etching adhesive systems, ABS contamination did not affect microleakage when a two-step self-ething adhesive system was used.