Various mechanical and chemical surface treatments have been proposed to improve the retention of fiber-reinforced composite post (FRCP), but the results are still controversial. The bond strength and durability of a self-etching ceramic primer, which was recently released as an alternative to etching and silane, are not yet known. This study aimed to compare and evaluate the push-out bond strength of different surface treatments of FRCPs after an artificial aging procedure. Four groups (n = 10) were established to evaluated FRCP surface treatments (dentin adhesive bonding; silane and adhesive bonding; hydrofluoric acid, silane and adhesive bonding; and a self-etching ceramic primer). They were bonded with dual-curing rein cement (Multilink N) and stored in distilled water at 37 °C for 30 days, then thermal cycled for 7500 cycles. After being sectioned into 1 mm thickness, each coronal and apical part was evaluated for its the push-out bond strength by a universal testing machine. Each debonded specimen was observed by an optical microscope and divided according to the failure modes. The results showed that silane treatment significantly improved push-out bond strength, but the self-etching ceramic primer did not do so. Additional hydrofluoric acid treatment or the adhesive bonding agent alone did not significantly improve the retention of FRCPs. Cohesive failure of the luting material was found most frequently in all groups.
Keywords: FRC post; Self-etching ceramic primer; push-out bond strength; surface treatment.