Purpose: A technique whereby the practitioner could improve the esthetic appearance of anterior stainless steel crowns (SSC) could provide a cost-effective alternative to more expensive commercially available preveneered SSCs, which may not be uniformly available. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of the metal crown surface on the shear bond strength of composite resin adhered to stainless steel crowns.
Methods: Seventy extracted anterior bovine teeth randomly divided into 2 groups (n=35/group), were restored with primary maxillary left central incisor SSCs. Surface roughening with a green stone was performed on the labial surfaces, and the crowns of the experimental group were exposed to UV irradiation for 80 minutes. All samples were treated with metal-composite adhesive, followed by composite opaquer. Standardized composite blocks were bonded on the treated surfaces, and the shear bond strength was tested at 1 mm/minute. The values were recorded in MPa and statistically analyzed.
Results: The mean value of shear bond strength was significantly higher for the experimental group (19.7 ± 4.3 MPa) than the control group (16.3 ± 4.5 MPa).
Conclusion: Ultraviolet irradiation of primary tooth stainless steel crowns significantly increased the shear bond strength of composite resin adhered to the facial surface.