Bond Strength of Resin Cement Following Biomimetic Remineralization: An in vitro Study

Objectives: This research assessed the efficacy of self-assembling peptide P-11-4 (Curodont protect) in promoting biomimetic remineralization of dentin, thereby stabilizing the hybrid layer and enhancing the long-lasting of the resin-dentin bond. Methods: Five premolar teeth were longitudinally sectioned to assess dentin microhardness before and after demineralization, as well as after the application of P-11-4 (Curodont protect). For the microtensile test, ten premolar teeth were sectioned perpendicular to their long axes. The teeth were assigned to different groups. Following acid etching and rinsing, samples in control group I received no pretreatment, while the prepared dentin surface of group II was treated with 0.1 mL of P-11-4 before the placement of the adhesive restoration. All specimens were stored in distilled water at 37 +/- 2 degrees C for 24 hours and then underwent thermocycling. The microtensile test was measured, and the type of bond failure was evaluated. The obtained information, expressed in megapascals, was analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Tukey's multiple post hoc test. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in hardness values after demineralization, followed by a significant increase in hardness after the application of P-11-4 (Curodont protect) (p < 0.001, effect size = 0.985). No statistically significant difference was found in the microtensile bond strength between the two groups (p = 0.384, effect size = 0.582). Adhesive-type failure was more commonly observed. Conclusion: The use of self-assembling peptide P11-4 (Curodont protect) on dentin resulted in higher microhardness than the control group without adversely affecting resin cement bond strength.