Influence of surface treatment on adherence energy of alloys used in bonded prosthetics

Usually, shear or tensile tests are used to assess bond strengths between resin and metal. In this study, a cleavage test, the Double Cantilever Ream test, was performed to measure the adherence energy in air and in water between a 4-META resin, and five alloys (palladium, palladium-silver, gold, cobalt-chromium and nickel-chromium alloys) whose surfaces have been treated by sandblasting only or by two methods of silica coating (Silicoater MD, Rocatec) or by painting with a primer (V-Primer). Results showed that, after storage in water, it is difficult to divide the studied alloys into a dental base alloys group and a noble alloys group. Therefore, the silica coating has significantly limited the propagation of fissures in water. Higher values of adherence energy were recorded with the Rocatec system except with the palladium alloy which must be treated with the Silicoater MD system. The treatment with V-Primer was sensitive to hydrolytic attack.