title: Influence of operator experience on in vitro bond strength of dentin adhesives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the influence of operator experience level on shear bond strength (SBS) of a self-etching adhesive (Clearfil SE Bond [CSE], Kuraray) and an etch-and-rinse adhesive (Single Bond [SB], 3M ESPE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Flat dentin surfaces were created on 120 extracted human third molars. Bonding agents and composite resin were applied and light cured according to manufacturers' directions (n = 15). Four operators with different levels of experience in operative dentistry performed the same specimen preparation steps independently: group 1: specialist in operative dentistry; group 2: post-graduate student; group 3: undergraduate dental student; group 4: private general practitioner. Specimens were stored in distilled water for 24 h at 37°C before SBS testing. Statistical analyses were carried out with Mann-Whitney U- and Kruskall-Wallis tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For CSE, mean SBS and standard deviations were: (1) 54.4 ± 15.6(a), (2) 55.3 ± 7.6(a), (3) 49.4 ± 10.5(ab), (4) 41.6 ± 13.1(b). For SB, they were: (1) 28.6 ± 10.3(c), (2) 32.7 ± 11.2(c), (3) 17.5 ± 5.6(d), (4) 24.4 ± 9.5(cd). Groups with the same superscript letters are not significantly different. CSE showed higher bond strengths than SB in all groups (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in mean bond strengths between groups 1 and 2 for each adhesive (p > 0.05). Depending on the adhesives, groups 3 and 4 were significantly different from groups 1 and 2, but not different from each other.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Operator experience influences dentin bond strength values of dentin adhesives. An increased level of experience with a specific adhesive system and the associated application procedures correlates with higher SBSs.
authors: Department of Operative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey.
authors: Nimet
authors: N
authors: Unlu
authors: Solen
authors: S
authors: Gunal
authors: Mustafa
authors: M
authors: Ulker
authors: Fusun
authors: F
authors: Ozer
authors: Markus B
authors: MB
authors: Blatz
mesh_terms: D000134:Acid Etching, Dental / Q000379:methods; D017438:Bisphenol A-Glycidyl Methacrylate; D002983:Clinical Competence; D001840:Dental Bonding; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D017220:Dentin-Bonding Agents; D006801:Humans; D008963:Molar; D019279:Resin Cements; D033081:Shear Strength; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: C438313:Clearfil SE Bond; D017220:Dentin-Bonding Agents; D019279:Resin Cements; C115612:single bond; D017438:Bisphenol A-Glycidyl Methacrylate