title: The microtensile bond test: a review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this review is to describe all of the various modifications of the microtensile bond test in one paper, so that investigators can select the modification that best suits their needs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The essence of the microtensile test is the division of resin-bonded teeth into slabs between 0.5 and 1.0 mm thick that are then trimmed in such a manner that tensile force will be concentrated on the bonded interface during testing. Among the many advantages of the technique are that each tooth produces multiple specimens. Further, there is no need for a matrix to limit the bonded surface area, since the area is determined by the dimensions of the trimmed specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The various modifications of the microtensile test have been used to measure differences in regional bond strength across occlusal dentin, down the external surface of teeth from crown through roots, down the internal surface of root canals from cervical to apical thirds, as well as to compare normal vs caries-affected occlusal dentin and normal vs sclerotic cervical dentin. The technique is ideal for evaluating the long-term durability of resin-hard-tissue bonds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The microtensile test methods offer versatility that cannot be achieved by conventional methods. It is more labor-intensive than conventional testing, but holds great potential for providing insight into the strength of adhesion of restorative materials to clinically relevant sites and substrates.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Oral Biology and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912-1129, USA. dpashley@mail.mcg.edu
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Pashley
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshiyama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shono
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tay
mesh_terms: D001840:Dental Bonding; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D008867:Microtomy; D019279:Resin Cements; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D019279:Resin Cements