The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of adhesive systems and flowable composite lining on bond strength to gingival margins of Class II restorations after thermal/mechanical stresses. Proximal cavities were prepared in 90 bovine incisors. Teeth were assigned into nine groups (n = 10), according to the combination of bonding agent [Single Bond (SB), Optibond Solo Plus (OP), Prime & Bond NT (NT)] and layer (1 mm) of flowable composite Filtek Flow (FF) [absent, one layer, two layers]. Materials were applied according to manufacturers' instructions, and FF layers were photoactivated separately. Restorations were concluded with composite resin and were submitted to thermal (1000x, 5-55 degrees C) and mechanical stresses (100,000x, 80 N). For microtensile evaluation, slabs from the gingival bonded interface were obtained, tested under tension, and their failure mode was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Bond strength data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA/Tukey's test. No interaction was observed between adhesive systems and FF lining (p = 0.89). Also, no significant difference was found between bond strength values, whether or not FF layers were used (p = 0.33). However, bonding systems demonstrated significant differences (p = 0.01). SB and NT presented means higher than those observed with OP. Fracture modes varied considerably between experimental groups, and a greater frequency of cohesive failures was noted when FF layers were used.
2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.