Evaluation of EDTA Conditioners of Various pHs on Dentin Surfaces

Abstract

 Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dentin conditioning by various ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) conditioners of various pHs on dentin surfaces.
 Methods: EDTA conditioners at 0.5 mol/l with pH 8.0, pH 10.0, and pH 12.0 were used to remove the dentin smear layer on the surface of extracted human molar dentin. E-Lize Conditioner with pH 7.4 was used as a control. The change in the micro Vickers hardness of the dentin caused by conditioning was measured with a universal testing machine. The wall-to-wall polymerization contraction gap of the resin composite was examined with a light microscope. After conditioning, the dentin surface was observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM, ×5,000).
 Results: No significant differences were observed in the micro Vickers hardness of the dentin between the conditioners at all pHs. In the contraction gap measurements, complete marginal adaptation was observed for the pH 7.4 and 8.0 EDTA conditioners. The SEM observations showed that the removal of the dental smear layer was caused by the change in pH; thus, more of the surface of the dentin smear layer remained as the EDTA pH increased.
 Conclusion: The optimum pH for 0.5 mol/l EDTA conditioner is pH 7.4-8.0, which results in complete marginal adaptation.