Abstract
We investigated the effect of reducing agents on the bonding strength of 4-META/MMA-TBB-type resin cement to bovine dentin irrigated with sodium hypochlorite. The bonding strength of resin cement to irrigated bovine dentin decreased with increase in the irrigation time. The bonding strength of resin cement to bovine dentin subjected to reducing agents in addition to irrigation was as great as that to bovine dentin subjected to polishing only. Furthermore, the order in which pretreatment comprised of acid etching and reducing agents was given did not influence the bonding strength of the resin cement. Although irrigation suppressed the extension of resin tags into the dentin tubules, application of reducing agents after irrigation did not show any effect on this extension.
