Bonding Performance and Interfacial Ultra-Morphology/Nanoleakage of a Modern Self-Curing Bulk-Fill Restorative System: An In Vitro Study

Paula Maciel Pires; Aline Almeida Neves; Paul Farrar; Álvaro Ferrando Cascales; Avijit Banerjee; Victor Pinheiro Feitosa; Salvatore Sauro

doi:10.1055/s-0045-1804886

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Bonding Performance and Interfacial Ultra-Morphology/Nanoleakage of a Modern Self-Curing Bulk-Fill Restorative System: An In Vitro Study

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Bonding Performance and Interfacial Ultra-Morphology/Nanoleakage of a Modern Self-Curing Bulk-Fill Restorative System: An In Vitro Study

Paula Maciel Pires, Aline Almeida Neves, Paul Farrar, Álvaro Ferrando Cascales, Avijit Banerjee, Victor Pinheiro Feitosa and Salvatore Sauro

European journal of dentistry, Vol.20(01), pp.96-104

02/2026

DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1804886

PMCID: PMC12890399

PMID: 40132978

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the bonding performance and the interfacial ultramorphology of an innovative self-curing restorative system compared with a conventional light-curing resin composite applied on dentin in etch-and-rinse (ER) or self-etch (SE) mode. Twenty cavities (class I) were prepared in sound dentin and restored using two materials: (1) CERAM ( = 10; CERAM.X ONE, Dentsply Sirona) in combination with a universal adhesive system (PBU [Prime & Bond Universal]), or (2) STELA ( = 10; Stela Automix, SDI) in combination with its adhesive primer. Half of the specimens from each group were bonded in ER or SE mode. Specimens underwent microtensile bond strength testing after 24 hours of storage in artificial saliva. Failure mode was determined using a stereomicroscope, and fractographic analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy. The interfacial ultramorphology/nanoleakage of the resin-dentin slabs was analyzed through dye-assisted confocal microscopy. For quantitative analysis, bond strength values (in MPa) were assessed for normality and variance using Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Levene's tests, followed by ANOVA based on restorative material and adhesive bonding protocol, with Fisher's least significant difference post hoc test (α = 5%). SE groups exhibited significantly lower bond strength (17.4 MPa for CERAM; 26.2 MPa for STELA) compared with ER groups (35.8 MPa for CERAM; 33.6 MPa for STELA) ( < 0.05). CERAM applied in SE mode showed significantly lower bond strength compared with STELA applied in SE mode. Furthermore, CERAM applied in SE mode was the only group presenting a pre-test failure rate (27%). The failure mode was predominantly mixed in ER groups and adhesive in SE groups. Nanoleakage was observed clearly in the CERAM groups applied in both ER and SE modes but was less evident in the STELA groups. The new self-curing material (STELA) used in SE or ER may represent a promising clinical option to provide adequate interfacial adaptation and strong bonding to dentin when restoring deep class I cavities. The use of conventional adhesives in deep class I cavities may generate resin-dentin interfaces characterized by gaps and leakages.

dentin

self-curing

dental resins

microtensile bond strength

resin-dentin interface

microscopy

confocal

Details

Title: Subtitle: Bonding Performance and Interfacial Ultra-Morphology/Nanoleakage of a Modern Self-Curing Bulk-Fill Restorative System: An In Vitro Study
Creators: Paula Maciel Pires - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Aline Almeida Neves - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Paul Farrar - Research & Development, SDI Limited, Bayswater, Australia
Álvaro Ferrando Cascales - Universidad Católica de Murcia
Avijit Banerjee - King's College London
Victor Pinheiro Feitosa - University of Iowa
Salvatore Sauro - Universidad Cardenal Herrera CEU
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: European journal of dentistry, Vol.20(01), pp.96-104
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1804886
PMID: 40132978
PMCID: PMC12890399
NLM abbreviation: Eur J Dent
ISSN: 1305-7456
eISSN: 1305-7464
Publisher: Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt Ltd
Grant note: SDI Ltd. (Bayswater, Australia)Cardenal Herrera UniversityFAPERJ grant from Brazil: E-26/205.718/2022
All the materials used in this study were regularly purchased from local distributors. The authors also gratefully acknowledge SDI Ltd. (Bayswater, Australia) for a generous donation of STELA Automix restorative and STELA Primer used in this study. Paula Maciel Pires was undertaking a post-doctorate exchange program at Cardenal Herrera University during a part of the experimental assay and was supported by a FAPERJ grant from Brazil (E-26/205.718/2022).
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 03/25/2025
Date published: 02/2026
Academic Unit: Operative Dentistry
Record Identifier: 9984802406302771

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