Use of metal conditioners to improve bond strengths of autopolymerizing denture base resin to cast Ti-6Al-7Nb and Co-Cr.
OBJECTIVE: The shear bond strengths of an autopolymerizing denture base resin to cast Ti-6Al-7Nb and Co-Cr alloys using three metal conditioners were investigated. METHODS: Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy and Co-Cr alloy discs were cast. The disc surfaces were air-abraded with 50 microm alumina particles and treated with three metal conditioners (Alloy Primer; Cesead II Opaque Primer; Metal Primer II). An autopolymerizing denture base resin was applied on the discs within a hole punched in a piece of sticky tape and a Teflon ring to define the bonding area. All specimens were immersed in 37 degrees C water for 24 h. Half of the specimens were thermocycled up to 20,000 cycles. The shear bond strengths were determined at a crosshead speed of 1.0 mm/min. RESULTS: Specimens treated with the three metal conditioners had significantly (p<0.05) improved shear bond strengths of the autopolymerizing denture base resin to both Ti-6Al-7Nb and Co-Cr. Although the bond strengths of the bonded Ti-6Al-7Nb specimens were higher than those of the Co-Cr alloy before thermocycling, the decrease in the bond strength of Ti-6Al-7Nb was considerably greater than that of the Co-Cr after thermocycling. CONCLUSION: Significant improvements in bond strength of the autopolymerizing denture base resin to cast Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy and Co-Cr alloy were achieved through the application of Alloy Primer, Cesead II Opaque Primer and Metal Primer II. The bond durability to Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy was inferior to that to Co-Cr.