This study aimed to assess the effects of a temporary sealing material and cleaning method of resin-coated dentin on the bond strength of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) inlay restorations. Resin-coated dentin surfaces were unsealed or temporarily sealed for 1 h or 1 week. For the temporarily sealed group, a hydraulic temporary sealing material was removed and further divided into four groups: without cleaning, cleaned with a rotational brush, a universal cleaner or an air-polishing device. Some specimens were investigated with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and the others were used for microtensile bond strength (MTBS) test. A sealing material could not be removed with a rotational brush, which resulted in pretest failures in all specimens after 1 h and which resulted in low MTBS after 1 week. An air-polishing device can clean resin-coated dentin temporarily sealed with a hydraulic temporary sealing material and resulted in the similar MTBS as in the unsealed group.
Keywords: CAD/CAM; Microtensile bond strength; Resin cement; Resin coating; Temporary sealing.