Evaluation of Microtensile Bond Strength of Sealant Depending on the Duration of Etching and the Use of Bonding Agent

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of etching time and bonding agents on bond strength of sealant applied to the occlusal surface of primary molars. Forty non-carious exfoliated human primary molars were included in the study. The teeth were randomly divided into 4 groups for measurement. For group I, no acid etching treatment was used. For group II, III, and IV, acid etching gels were applied on the occlusal surface for 15, 30, and 60 seconds, respectively. Each group was divided into 2 subgroups; one group was treated with bonding agents on the enamel while the other was not. Microtensile bond strength was evaluated using a universal testing machine. There were no statistically significant differences in bond strength with varying duration of etching among groups. The results revealed that the use of bonding agents prior to application of fissure sealant increased the bond strength(p < 0.05). It could be concluded that etching time greater than 15 seconds does not significantly enhance the bond strength, but the use of bonding agents as an intermediate layer between the primary molar and fissure sealant would be beneficial in increasing the bond strength.